Cultural Diplomacy and the Orange Economy in Africa: A Case Study of Nollywood

Abstract

The slave trade and colonialism left Africa with permanent legacy of economic upheaval and political instability. The continent is the most vulnerable as the world grapples with climate change, heightened insecurity, and technological advances. As a challenge to state-centric theories, culture and identity have a significant role to play in diplomacy and awareness creation in expanding the orange economy. This is anchored on cultural diplomacy that influences audiences for the purpose of attraction and the advancement of political and economic interests in the contemporary global political economy. Economies that have the capacity to commoditize culture take the lead in a knowledge-based race, where talent and creativity are the leading impetus. The changing nature of the global economy has highlighted the importance of creativity in wealth generation and job security. This chapter examines how cultural diplomacy and the orange economy enhance Africa’s soft power using Nollywood as a case study. It utilizes secondary data and the lens of constructivism to situate the argument that cultural diplomacy promotes the orange economy. We argue that, while Nollywood is a veritable tool for cultural diplomacy, copyright infringement, inadequate infrastructure, unrefined content, and poor funding inhibit its potential to support soft power.