NAMA APPLAUDS PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA’S VISION FOR ZAMBIA’S CREATIVE ECONOMY, CALLS FOR ACCELERATED ESTABLISHMENT OF FILM COMMISSION
NAMA President Morgan Mbulo welcomes the Head of State’s commitment to creative industry development, commercialisation, monetisation and sustainable careers, while applauding Government’s continued support to artists, the successful inaugural NAMA Awards and opportunities for professional development and international exposure.
9 October 2026 | Zambia
The National Association of Media Arts (NAMA) has welcomed the pronouncements made by His Excellency, President Hakainde Hichilema, during his address to the National Assembly, particularly his emphasis on the development, formalisation and sustainability of Zambia’s creative economy.
In a press statement issued following the President’s address, NAMA President Morgan Mbulo expressed appreciation for the recognition of film, music, content creation, fashion and other creative disciplines as important contributors to national economic development.
The President’s remarks highlighted the need for talented Zambians to build fulfilling and sustainable careers in the creative industries, while outlining Government’s intention to strengthen opportunities across all ten provinces and facilitate the commercialisation and monetisation of creative works, including through digital platforms and partnerships with the private sector.
For NAMA, these pronouncements address some of the fundamental issues that have continued to affect the development of Zambia’s creative industries.
The Association believes that Zambia possesses enormous artistic potential, but transforming that potential into a sustainable industry requires more than talent. It requires a coordinated ecosystem supported by policy, financing, infrastructure, functioning institutions, professional development and access to markets.
1. PRESIDENT HICHILEMA RECOGNISES THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AS A NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY
One of the most significant aspects of the President’s address was the recognition that creativity should not be viewed merely as entertainment, but as an economic activity capable of creating employment, generating wealth and sustaining livelihoods.
President Hichilema acknowledged the talent found among Zambians working in music, film, content creation, fashion and other artistic disciplines, while emphasising the importance of enabling these citizens to build sustainable careers.
NAMA believes this recognition is particularly important because it places creative industry development within the broader conversation about economic growth and employment creation.
For many years, Zambia’s artists have demonstrated their abilities through music, theatre, film, television, photography and other forms of artistic expression. However, many practitioners continue to encounter difficulties turning their skills into commercially viable careers.
According to NAMA President Morgan Mbulo, the creative sector must increasingly be understood as an industry with the potential to create businesses, attract investment, develop intellectual property and contribute meaningfully to Zambia’s Gross Domestic Product.
The Association therefore welcomes the President’s emphasis on building an environment in which creative professionals can earn sustainable livelihoods from their work.
2. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL TO BUILDING A FUNCTIONING CREATIVE INDUSTRY
In his statement, Mbulo emphasised that Government has an indispensable role in establishing the conditions necessary for the creative economy to flourish.
While artists are responsible for developing their talents and producing creative works, the growth of a competitive national industry requires an enabling environment.
This includes appropriate legislation, policy implementation, sustainable financing mechanisms, infrastructure development, institutional coordination and investment incentives.
NAMA acknowledges the policy measures already developed to guide Zambia’s arts and film sectors and believes the President’s pronouncements provide an opportunity to strengthen their practical implementation.
The Association maintains that policy development must be followed by clear implementation structures, adequate resources and measurable outcomes.
For the film industry, this could mean improving access to production financing, strengthening intellectual property protection, supporting professional training and creating mechanisms that attract both domestic and international production investment.
For musicians and other artists, it means strengthening systems that allow creative works to reach audiences, generate revenue and provide long term economic value.
NAMA believes that Government participation is essential not because artists should depend indefinitely on public funding, but because appropriate public investment and regulation can help establish the conditions for sustainable private enterprise.
3. NAMA APPRECIATES GOVERNMENT SUPPORT THROUGH THE MINISTRY AND NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL
Beyond welcoming the President’s policy pronouncements, NAMA has also expressed its appreciation for the practical support that the Association and the wider creative community have continued to receive from Government through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, working in collaboration with the National Arts Council of Zambia.
NAMA President Morgan Mbulo acknowledged that the Association has benefited from institutional support and assistance in addressing several of its operational and programme needs.
He particularly recognised Government support towards the successful hosting of the inaugural National Academy Media Awards (NAMA Awards), which brought together practitioners from the film, television and wider media arts sectors to celebrate excellence, recognise talent and promote professional development.
The successful hosting of the awards represented an important milestone for the Association and the audiovisual industry, demonstrating what can be achieved when Government institutions and creative industry stakeholders work towards a common objective.
The awards also provided an important platform for recognising Zambian productions, performers, filmmakers and technical professionals whose contributions continue to strengthen the country’s media arts sector.
Mbulo extended his appreciation to President Hakainde Hichilema for the continued support channelled through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts and the National Arts Council, which NAMA recognises as its mother body.
The Association believes this cooperation has helped strengthen its capacity to undertake industry development activities while creating opportunities for practitioners to participate in programmes that promote artistic excellence and professional growth.
NAMA has further acknowledged Government interventions that have enabled artists and creative professionals to access training, capacity building programmes and opportunities for exposure beyond Zambia.
According to Mbulo, he has personally witnessed practitioners benefiting from assistance to attend training programmes, festivals and other professional engagements, including opportunities that expose Zambian talent to international standards, markets and creative networks.
Such interventions are important because they allow artists to acquire new knowledge, establish professional relationships and understand how creative industries operate in other countries.
However, NAMA believes the next stage should be to consolidate these interventions into a more structured and sustainable national creative economy development framework.
Rather than treating training opportunities, festival participation, production support and professional development as isolated interventions, the Association believes they should form part of a coordinated system that supports practitioners from talent identification through to commercial production and market participation.
The objective should be to ensure that Government investment in artistic development ultimately translates into professional enterprises, employment opportunities, intellectual property creation and measurable contributions to Zambia’s GDP.
For NAMA, the continued support already being provided by Government offers an important foundation upon which this wider creative economy ecosystem can be built.
4. COMMERCIALISATION AND MONETISATION MUST BECOME CENTRAL TO CREATIVE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT
Another important element of the President’s address was his emphasis on commercialising and monetising artistic works, including through digital platforms.
NAMA considers this particularly relevant in an era when technology is transforming how creative content is produced, distributed and consumed.
Digital platforms have opened opportunities for Zambian filmmakers, musicians, content creators and other practitioners to reach audiences beyond traditional geographical and broadcasting boundaries.
However, access to digital platforms does not automatically guarantee sustainable income.
Artists must also understand intellectual property ownership, licensing, distribution agreements, audience development, copyright protection and the commercial structures through which creative works generate revenue.
For filmmakers, this includes understanding how productions can earn income through cinema exhibition, television licensing, streaming platforms, distribution agreements and other legitimate commercial channels.
For musicians and content creators, it involves developing professional approaches to digital distribution, rights management, branding and audience monetisation.
NAMA believes the President’s recognition of these opportunities provides an important basis for developing programmes that strengthen the business capabilities of Zambian creatives.
The objective should be to move from simply producing creative content to building enterprises that own, manage and generate economic value from that content.
5. CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES MUST REACH ALL TEN PROVINCES
NAMA has also welcomed the President’s commitment to ensuring that artistic talent across Zambia’s ten provinces can access development opportunities.
During his address, President Hichilema recognised that talent exists throughout the country and outlined the need for more formalised structures to identify and support creative practitioners beyond the established urban centres.
For NAMA, this commitment is important because Zambia’s creative potential extends far beyond Lusaka and the Copperbelt.
Talented filmmakers, actors, musicians, writers, visual artists and content creators can be found in every province, yet many face limited access to professional training, equipment, production facilities, financing and markets.
The Association believes a national creative economy development framework should provide opportunities for talent identification, capacity building, mentorship, professional development and market access throughout the country.
Provincial arts structures and professional associations can play an important role in connecting emerging talent to these opportunities.
NAMA further believes that decentralising creative industry development will help preserve local cultural expressions while enabling artists from different communities to participate in the national economy.
A sustainable creative sector should not require every talented artist to relocate to Lusaka before accessing professional opportunities.
6. NAMA CALLS FOR THE EXPEDITED ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ZAMBIAN FILM COMMISSION
While welcoming the President’s development agenda, NAMA has made a specific appeal to the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, working with the National Arts Council of Zambia and other relevant institutions, to accelerate the establishment and operationalisation of the proposed Zambian Film Commission.
According to Mbulo, the Film Commission would represent an important institutional component of the creative economy ecosystem envisioned in the President’s address.
Zambia possesses considerable potential as a destination for film and audiovisual production.
The country offers diverse landscapes, cultural heritage, compelling stories and talented creative professionals capable of supporting local and international productions.
However, realising this potential requires coordinated institutional support.
A properly structured and resourced Film Commission could help promote Zambia as a filming destination, facilitate production investment, coordinate location services, support industry development and strengthen relationships with international production companies and film markets.
It could also contribute towards developing clearer procedures for filming, promoting professional standards and exploring investment incentives that encourage productions to operate within Zambia.
NAMA believes such an institution could support employment creation across the wider audiovisual value chain.
Film production does not benefit filmmakers alone. It also creates opportunities for transport operators, accommodation providers, caterers, construction specialists, costume designers, makeup artists, technicians and numerous other businesses.
The Association has therefore called for stakeholder consultations, institutional planning, clear implementation timelines and resource mobilisation to advance the Film Commission initiative.
For NAMA, this is one of the practical steps that could help translate the President’s creative economy vision into a functioning industry development mechanism.
7. THE CREATIVE ECONOMY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ZAMBIA’S GDP
NAMA has further emphasised the potential contribution of the creative industries to Zambia’s economic growth.
The Association believes the sector should increasingly be assessed not only through artistic achievement, but also through its capacity to create jobs, establish businesses, attract investment and generate revenue.
A professionally organised film industry, for example, can stimulate demand for numerous goods and services while creating intellectual property that can continue generating income after a production has been completed.
Music, fashion, digital content, animation, theatre, advertising and other creative disciplines also have opportunities to contribute to entrepreneurship, tourism, exports and employment.
However, unlocking this potential requires better industry organisation, investment and mechanisms for measuring economic activity.
NAMA believes that stronger data collection, formalisation of creative enterprises and coordinated industry development programmes would help Government and stakeholders better understand the sector’s economic contribution.
This would also strengthen the case for targeted investment and policy interventions.
The Association maintains that Zambia’s creative economy should increasingly be treated as a productive sector capable of contributing to national development.
8. PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION WILL BE CRITICAL
President Hichilema’s reference to partnerships with the private sector was another aspect welcomed by NAMA.
The Association believes sustainable creative industry development cannot depend entirely on Government funding.
Private investment, corporate procurement, sponsorship, distribution partnerships and commercial financing all have important roles to play.
For example, companies regularly require advertising, documentaries, photography, corporate videos, graphic design, digital communication and event production.
These services are part of the creative economy.
NAMA believes stronger relationships between the corporate sector and creative enterprises could help expand business opportunities for local practitioners.
The Association also encourages the development of financing and investment models that recognise creative intellectual property and audiovisual productions as commercially valuable assets.
Government can establish the enabling framework, while private sector participation can help expand markets and investment opportunities.
9. POLICY IMPLEMENTATION MUST NOW TRANSLATE INTO TANGIBLE OPPORTUNITIES
NAMA has acknowledged the importance of existing policy measures and the President’s broader commitment to creative sector development.
However, the Association believes the next stage must focus on coordinated implementation.
This includes translating policy objectives into accessible programmes, functioning institutions, clear financing arrangements and measurable benefits for creative practitioners.
For filmmakers, the desired outcome is an environment where a production can move from concept development to financing, production, distribution and revenue generation.
For other artistic disciplines, the objective is equally important: ensuring that creative talent can develop into sustainable professional activity.
NAMA believes this transition will require continued cooperation between Government, arts institutions, professional associations, educational institutions and the private sector.
It will also require artists themselves to strengthen their professional practices and approach creativity as both an artistic pursuit and a commercial enterprise.
10. NAMA COMMITS TO WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS
In concluding his statement, NAMA President Morgan Mbulo reaffirmed the Association’s willingness to work with the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, the National Arts Council of Zambia, other Government institutions and industry stakeholders to advance the development of the creative economy.
The Association believes professional bodies have an important responsibility to support industry organisation, identify development priorities, facilitate dialogue and help practitioners understand emerging opportunities.
NAMA also recognises the need for artists to participate constructively in policy implementation, strengthen their businesses and adopt professional standards that allow them to compete in local and international markets.
The Association sees the President’s pronouncements as an opportunity for closer cooperation and sustained engagement on the practical requirements of creative industry development.
Mbulo further reiterated his appreciation for the continued cooperation between NAMA, the Ministry and the National Arts Council, particularly the assistance extended towards the Association’s programmes and the development of its members.
He expressed confidence that building upon this existing cooperation, while strengthening the institutional and commercial structures of the sector, would help move Zambia closer to a creative economy capable of sustaining livelihoods and contributing to national development.
A NEW CHAPTER FOR ZAMBIA’S CREATIVE ECONOMY
For NAMA, the central significance of President Hakainde Hichilema’s address lies in the recognition that Zambia’s creative talent should be supported by an economic environment capable of transforming artistic activity into sustainable livelihoods.
The Association welcomes the President’s attention to formalisation, monetisation, commercialisation, provincial inclusion and private sector participation.
These priorities are closely connected to the longstanding aspirations of Zambia’s creative professionals.
NAMA believes that continued policy implementation, appropriate financing, stronger institutions and the establishment of the proposed Film Commission could help create a more coordinated environment for the development of the film and wider creative industries.
The Association has therefore expressed appreciation to President Hichilema for including the creative economy in his national development agenda, while encouraging the relevant institutions to translate the commitments into practical programmes and opportunities.
The Association also recognises the tangible support already extended through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts and the National Arts Council of Zambia, including assistance towards the inaugural NAMA Awards, professional development and opportunities for artists to gain valuable exposure.
For Mbulo, these interventions demonstrate that the foundations of a stronger creative economy are already being laid. The priority now is to connect them through a coherent national framework that transforms Government support into sustainable businesses, increased production, wider market participation and measurable economic contribution.
Zambia has the talent. Zambia has the stories. Zambia has the cultural heritage and creative potential. The task now is to build the complete ecosystem that allows this talent to generate livelihoods, employment, investment and national wealth.
For NAMA, that is the future worth working towards.
Article based on the press statement issued by Morgan Mbulo, President of the National Association of Media Arts (NAMA), following President Hakainde Hichilema’s address to the National Assembly.
NAMA 2026 ©
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