Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat has linked the state’s heavy traffic to increased consumption of podcasts, music and films, saying long journeys have inadvertently created an audience for the creative industry.
Hamzat made the remarks on Friday at PODFEST Naija, where he said commuters on major routes, including the Ojota-Obalende corridor and Third Mainland Bridge, often consume creative content while stuck in traffic.
He said the traffic situation, despite its challenges, had become part of everyday life in Lagos and was contributing to the audience base of content creators.
“I suspect that many of us in this room produce things that are consumed episode by episode between Ojota and Obalende. So, in a way, traffic has been the patron of your industry,” Hamzat said.
He said Lagos was increasingly telling its own stories through podcasters, filmmakers, musicians, writers, designers, developers and entrepreneurs.
According to him, the growth of the creative sector also depends on an environment where people feel safe and have the liberty to create.
“Creativity flourishes when people feel safe. So, for us in Lagos, safety and the liberty it guarantees remain a matter of rights because it is important that we are safe,” he said.
Hamzat also said the state was supporting innovation through funding and backing research and development initiatives in areas including health, education, mobility, film, technology, climate and culture.
“Gone are the days of great ideas and no funding,” he said.
The deputy governor, however, urged creators to develop sustainable businesses around their work instead of relying solely on audience size.
“A podcast with a million listeners and no business model is just a hobby with a good microphone. Too many creators still cannot turn audience into income,” he said.
He advised creators to build businesses, protect their intellectual property and maintain excellence and integrity when telling Lagos stories.
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