The UK government has started talking to the event’s organizers after being impressed by the success of Burna Boy’s “Lagos Loves Damini” concert on January 1 in an effort to explore a relationship that may support Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
A meeting conducted on Friday at the British Deputy High Commission in Lagos marked the beginning of the partnership’s first steps.
Mr. Kaycee Kennedy of Creative Economy Catalyst Ltd., the show’s primary promoter, and Chim Chalemera, the country director for the UK Department for International Trade, attended the meeting.
Kennedy cited the benefits of the event, such as the fact that it was the first African gig to be included on Burna Boy’s official website and tickets.
He added that with over 30,000 attendees, the event was the largest outdoor music concert. Over 11,000 automobiles were parked there, which was a record for an event, and it was also the first single source online ticketing by wallet, he continued.
The absence of recorded fatalities, theft, sexual assault, or sexual harassment was another significant plus. Kennedy noted, however, that despite the benefits, there were some difficulties and things to learn.
He said that the visit to the British Deputy High Commission to meet with the UK Department for International Trade and explore potential partnership for future events was required in order to solve the major difficulties and drawbacks experienced at the Lagos exhibition.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, there was lengthy discussion about the issue of insufficient power supply and the power surge that caused an outage and destroyed a significant amount of equipment.
The requirement for logistical support in areas like infrastructure—which includes equipment rental and standardization of such equipment in an effort to achieve minimal international standards—was also covered in the discussion.
The conference also discussed managing and sourcing vendors. Possible assistance with rubbish disposal following concerts and other such major events was also mentioned.
It was decided that having a sufficient waste recycling framework was essential for maintaining the environment and adhering to recognized worldwide biodisposal and environmental standards after the event.
In her contribution, Chalemera stated that she was delighted to offer the required assistance, including introductions and matchmaking to pertinent UK businesses for collaboration with the event producers.
She said the collaboration will guarantee that next performances be performed in accordance with international standards.
According to NAN, the UK Department for International Trade organized a trade mission for 18 UK businesses taking part in the £20 million Round 10 Energy Catalyst for sustainable energy in November 2022.
They were hosted by Creative Economy Catalyst Ltd. and went to Eko Energy City, which was the location of the “Lagos Loves Damini” concert.
In light of this, the Friday follow-up meeting was a significant step toward forming a collaboration between Creative Economy Catalyst and the Department for International Trade right before the upcoming round of international performances and concerts slated for 2023 at Eko Energy City, Lagos.
An excited Chalemera expressed happiness about the potential benefits of the partnership.
“The UK is very happy to support the Creative Economy Catalyst team as part of our extensive engagement with the Nigerian Creative Industry.
“The UK has much to offer in terms of expertise when it comes to the delivery of large-scale entertainment events such as concerts and festivals.
“We look forward to seeing how this expertise can be applied for future events,” she said.
