Ayeni Adekunle, founder and convener of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference NECLive, has warned that while many of the challenges that the creative industry faced a decade ago have been addressed, new and potentially more dangerous issues have emerged.
In a statement announcing the return of NECLive for its 2025 edition, scheduled to take place on November 28 at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos and other venues globally, Ayeni reflected on NECLive’s journey and the evolution of the entertainment landscape since its inception in 2013.
“We founded NECLive over a decade ago because we were troubled and bothered about the issues plaguing the industry. As I look back today, most of the issues that kept us up at night—quality control, distribution, monetisation, and globalisation—have now largely been solved.”
He acknowledged the tremendous strides made by the industry, especially in global recognition of Nigerian music, film, and digital content. However, he raised concerns about the next phase of challenges, particularly those tied to technology, ownership, and sustainability.
“Old problems become a thing of the past; here come new challenges and issues that appear even more dangerous,” he cautioned. “Technology is rapidly changing the rules of the game, but it’s clear we’re not winning the distribution and monetization war.”
Ayeni pointed to the growing disconnection between fame and financial success, exploitation of intellectual property, the lack of infrastructure, and the dominance of hype over substance as some of the threats facing the creative ecosystem.
He added that despite Nigerian talents being celebrated globally, value creation at home remains limited. “Most of the infrastructure needed to derive real value either doesn’t exist or is tied to exploitative systems. Hype is drowning true development. Celebrity culture is replacing real creation.”
The NECLive convener emphasised the need for collective action and strategic thinking to ensure that the progress achieved so far is not undermined.
“Imagine what the next 20 years could look like if we won the right battles. We must interrogate, investigate, brainstorm, and understand what we need to do to ensure this momentum leads to long-term value for individuals, companies, governments, and institutions.”
NECLive 2025 will expand into a multi-venue global format under the theme “Powering Africa Through Creative Enterprise.” According to Ayeni, this new format aims to engage stakeholders across the continent and the diaspora in shaping the future of Africa’s creative economy.
There is a big opportunity to influence the world. A big opportunity to build wealth. A big opportunity to prove that this industry can and must be transformational for our country and continent. I invite you to join the conversation,” he concluded.
NECLive has, over nine editions, featured over 500 speakers, hosted more than 100,000 participants, and facilitated over 1,000 partnerships. The 2025 edition marks the beginning of what Ayeni describes as “a renewed commitment to driving interventions that matter.”
