Amaka Igwe Announces plans for BOBTV 2012

 … “The Creative Industries: Nigeria’s Untapped Wealth”

 Lagos| Nigeria: Africa’s leading Film and Television Programmes Expo
 known as BOBTV which holds annually is back for its ninth edition.

 The international event which attracts over 5,000 delegates including
 content-makers, programme developers, and auxiliary industries
 practitioners from around the world will provide an all-round platform
 for business networking.

 Organisers say the expo will also attract top government
 personalities, policy influencers, opinion moulders as well as notable
 figures from the Nigerian movie and music scene.

 The three-day event which will showcase various exhibitions on the
 creative industries, provide master classes, market screening,
 capacity building and business networking will hold between Tuesday,

 March 13th and Friday, March 16th, 2012 at the Ladi Kwali convention
 centre, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja.

 "The past eight editions have been amazing in many ways. We are
 convinced that, now more than ever, we need to begin to see the
 entertainment industries as creative industries and bring about worthy
 growth” says Amaka Igwe

 According to the UN Creative economy report 2012 “the Creative
 Industries are proliferating in Europe and North America, revitalizing
 the economy of urban centres through cultural and social developments
 offering attractive jobs, particularly to young people. The turnover
 of the European creative industries amounted to 654 billion Euros in
 2003, growing 12.3 per cent faster than the overall economy of the
 European Union and employing over 5.6 million people.”

 Igwe continues “the aim of this year’s Expo is to work towards a
 repositioning of the Nigerian entertainment industries which is
 rapidly growing in Nigeria and Africa, to a more robust and sure
 footed Creative Economy in line with  world best practices  by 2015”.

 Apart from exhibitions, trainings, workshops, conferences and
 seminars, BOBTV has since inception, recognized various individuals
 who have excelled in their service to various industries and rewarded
 them with the BOBTV Honours List Awards. Past awardees include: Mr.
 Peter Igho, Executive Director, NTA (2007), Mr. Andy Amenechi - Film
 Director (2007), Liz Benson - Actor (2007). In 2008, Late Mr. Sam Loco
 Efe, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, and Dr. Umar Farouk also received awards. In
 2009, pioneering Nollywood producer, Okechukwu Ogunjiofor, Lekan
 Ogunbanwo, Nkem Owoh, Bukky Ajayi, Zainab Bewal, Efere Ozakor and the
 Cast and crew of MNET’s Jacob’s Cross also received awards.

 Last year’s BOBTV Honours list includes Chairman Silverbird Group Ben
 Murray-Bruce, Nollywood movie marketer Ossy Affason, copyright lawyer
 Efere Ozako and Make-up and special effects Virtuoso Dagogo Diminas.

 This year’s edition will begin with a Music Fiesta hosted by Storm 360
 and Party to be hosted by Celebrities. Past editions have been hosted
 by the likes of the Bayelsa State Culture Ministry, Soundcity and
 Lagos State Tourism Board. There have also been performances from top
 artistes like P-Square, 2Face, M.I, Mamuzee amongst many others.

 “BOBTV 2012 seeks to prepare Africa to address “The Content Question
 in a Digital Economy” and expects the participation of various
 telecommunication services like mobile networks, digital broadcasters,
 ISP’s, Broadband services, and DTT platforms. Workshops and seminars
 will also be organized for participants at the Expo.” Executive
 producer Amaka Igwe says.

 BOBTV started in 2002 by the pioneers of the Nigerian Film and TV
 Programmes Industry who wanted to create structures that facilitate
 the foundation and exchange of high quality TV programmes. The first
 edition held in Lagos at the Sheraton Hotel Ikeja; supported by the
 National Broadcasting Commission and Multichoice Nigeria.

 Subsequently, the demand to participate required a much bigger venue
 and BOBTV moved to the Ladi Kwali convention Centre in Abuja; the
 biggest convention centre in Nigeria today.

 By 2005, the African film and Television Programmes expo had become an
 international event, attracting visitors, participants and resource
 persons from Canada, Zimbabwe, Namibia, England, United States, South
 Africa, Ghana and many more.

 This also revealed the wide gap in the infrastructure that should
 support the growth of the audio-visual industry in Africa.

 "BOBTV is always fun and I'm looking forward to even more fun this
 year as we exchange ideas and reinvigorate the system’’, Igwe
 concludes.

 A schedule of activities for 2012 is to be released next week,
 according to the organizers.