Woodhall Finance House, in partnership with the UK Government, Polaris Bank, and the Lagos State Government, has announced a N1.5 billion Creative Sector Fund targeted at scaling export-ready enterprises across fashion, film, music, digital art, and beauty.
According to a statement from the British High Commission in Nigeria, the Fund was announced at the Lagos residence of the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Jonny Baxter, during the launch of The Creative Currency Podcast, a new media and investment platform aimed at catalyzing growth in Nigeria’s creative economy.
At its core, the Creative Currency Podcast will serve as both a narrative driver and transaction hub, designed to attract capital, shape policy, and spotlight the immense potential of Nigeria’s creative sector—one of the country’s fastest-growing export engines.
Empowering African talent
While the launch of the Podcast marks a strategic convergence of diplomacy, finance, and storytelling, Baxter said the program is also about creating real opportunities and empowering the next generation of African talent.
“Through initiatives like the Creative Industries Technical Working Group and now The Creative Currency Podcast, we’re backing long-term UK-Nigeria partnerships that turn creative potential into tangible economic outcomes,” he said.
- Representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Bada Ambrose, reinforced the state’s position as the continent’s creative hub.
- She highlighted the administration’s ongoing investments in infrastructure and policy support to nurture talent and attract global capital.
Investing in creativity
Speaking on the launch of the N1.5 billion fund, Woodhall Capital President Mrs. Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu emphasized that creativity is no longer intangible—it’s investable.
“Nobody is coming to save us. If we want to see real change, we must finance our own narratives. This fund is our commitment to back bold ideas, scale creative businesses, and turn cultural capital into economic power,” she said.
In a fireside chat exploring UK-Nigeria cultural synergies, fashion entrepreneur Veekee James, actress Shaffy Bello, and UK Department for Business and Trade Country Director Mark Smithson discussed how cultural exchange can unlock new markets, boost exports, and reshape the global narrative around African creativity.
- One of the evening’s high points was a panel discussion on financing Africa’s creative economy, featuring Polaris Bank’s Executive Director, Mrs. Abimbola Ozomah, Helios Investment Partners MD/CEO Sola Carrena, and Woodhall Capital President Mrs. Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu.
- The panel advocated for innovative financial tools such as blended finance, factoring, and creative bonds to unlock scalable opportunities in the sector.
