Benue Targets 300,000 Jobs, Launches $15 Million Creative Impact Fund
The Benue State Government has launched the $15 million Benue Creative Impact Fund (BCIF), an ambitious intervention designed to empower young people, drive innovation, and generate over 300,000 direct and indirect jobs across the state.
The fund was officially unveiled on Friday in Makurdi by Governor Hyacinth Alia, who was represented by his deputy, Barr. Sam Ode. Governor Alia described the initiative as a major milestone in his administration’s economic transformation agenda, aimed at positioning Benue as a key player in Africa’s rapidly growing creative economy.
The BCIF was launched in partnership with Circuit, an African digital content distribution platform. The fund is structured to provide the state’s creatives with comprehensive support, including:
* Access to funding and sustainable financing.
* Studio spaces and digital production tools.
* Training, mentorship, and global market opportunities.
“Benue’s creativity is an economic asset,” Governor Alia stated.
“With the right support, our cultural identity—Tiv, Idoma, and Igede—can be projected globally while creating jobs and attracting investors.”
Bibowei-Osuobeni, described the fund as a strategic tool for bridging development gaps at the sub-national level, assuring that the partnership would provide Benue creatives with the necessary infrastructure and market linkages to compete globally.
The Governor highlighted that the BCIF builds upon existing digital groundwork laid by his administration, which falls under his seven-point agenda:
* Establishment of the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company (BDIC).
* Digital upskilling of 40,000 civil servants to improve public service delivery.
* ICT training for 23,000 youths across all 23 local government areas.
Other supporting initiatives include the creation of the Bureau for Culture and Tourism, the Benue Fashion Hub, and sponsorship of the Benue Men’s Fashion Week, all aimed at strengthening the state’s innovation ecosystem and boosting its GDP.
The BCIF has already attracted interest from private investors and development partners.
