By Efe Onodjae

Chief Executive Officer of Chocolate City and Co-Founder of Bean Creative IMC, Abuchi Peter Ugwu, has urged the Lagos State Government to accelerate investments in modern creative infrastructure to match the fast-rising economic power of the State’s youth population.

Ugwu made the call on Wednesday at the Lagos Economic Outlook 2026 Roundtable held at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, where economists, policymakers and industry leaders met under the Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget to outline development priorities for 2026.

Speaking during a panel session moderated by Dr. Amina Olohunlana of the University of Lagos, Ugwu commended the government’s steady support for music, film, fashion, nightlife and digital content, but said Lagos must now build at a scale that reflects its creative ambition.

“Lagos has given the creative sector a home. Now we need to expand that home. Our young people have the ideas, the audience and global attention. What they need is infrastructure, safety and predictable systems to thrive,” he said.

He emphasised that Lagos remains Africa’s leading creative hub, fueled by Afrobeats, street culture, digital creators and a rapidly growing youth population, but risks stalling its momentum without stronger structural support.

Ugwu said Lagos’ demographic strength places it in a unique position, with more than 12 million young residents and the highest concentration of digital creators on the continent. He added that Lagos youth account for the majority of Africa’s viral content across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, while Nigeria’s creative workforce contributes significantly to national output and informal GDP.

He identified the urgent need for modern performance venues, mid-size arenas, film-friendly districts, production studios, creative hubs, streamlined permits and improved night-time safety systems. According to him, many creators still travel abroad to shoot content, not because Lagos lacks culture, but because processes remain slow or difficult to access.

Ugwu drew from his experience at Bean Creative IMC, which works across digital marketing, talent management, public relations and reputation management, noting that infrastructure gaps increase production costs and limit creative output. Improved systems, he said, would unlock greater value across music, content creation and brand storytelling.

He also referenced the Chocolate City Founders Fund, a grant initiative that supports emerging talent, especially young women in music, content creation and fashion, aligning with Lagos State’s goal of expanding participation in the creative economy.

Other panelists included Professors Olufemi Shuaib and Samuel Iyiola Oni, and Dr. Oluyinka Olumide.
Ugwu concluded with a call for Lagos to build with 2026 in mind, saying: “Lagos is a youth city. If we give young people safe spaces, efficient systems and real creative infrastructure, this economy will move from potential to performance in 2026.”