From Nollywood to Ranminithenna: Charting a Path for Sri Lanka’s Creative Economy
View(s):
As Sri Lankans, we have initiated discussions on various avenues for national development, including tourism, destination marketing, and the film industry. Moreover, experts have increasingly focused on the economy, emphasising the need for strategic approaches to gain a competitive advantage and promote sustainable economic growth. But again it can be questioned whether the proper system has been established to redeem the “lost opportunity”. As per records of the World Food Programme, almost 70% of Sri Lankan households are reducing meal sizes. All of us are currently engaged in critically evaluating the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility of US $2.9 billion. Anyway in this given context we need to swallow this bitter pill. But what is next is the million-dollar question. This is the seventeen time which we are going for the IMF rescue programme. Sri Lanka never learned lessons from past experiences. There is a need for policymakers to study this and have a proper analysis of the loans taken by Sri Lanka for the last five decades (As an example: foreign debt -multilateral, bilateral and market borrowings) and outcome. This study would give experts about the so-called “debt trap” and its implications for the future. There should be proper Key Performance Indicators(KPIs) for loans taken and for the utilisation of same. Sri Lanka needs to learn lessons from the past by analysing numbers. Anyway, it is worth noting that having loans with a dependent mentality is not driving any country for the future.
And also the most important part of economic development is what you get as a return on your investment. Having resources and facilities alone is not enough—without actual business activity, it can lead to numerous challenges. Understanding how to effectively market your product is fundamental. In some countries, we often see attractive photos, websites, and videos promoting destinations, but upon visiting, it becomes clear that they have been “over-marketed.” But in Sri Lanka, the situation is quite different—we have hundreds of attractive places that are either under-marketed or not properly utilised. One might question whether this is due to a lack of experts and decision-makers in some attractive sectors with potential. But we have better people with all sorts of knowledge. There is a challenge in involving experts in decision-making and a lack of participation or strategic partnerships, largely due to the absence of a dedicated “Task Force” in the country. Here I would like to discuss one good example of Ranminithenna Tele cinema village. Recently I have visited to the place and I was wondered by looking at the faculties. Spread across 230 acres in Hambantota, this location offers year-round favourable weather ideal for filming and outdoor activities. It features vast open land and a natural setting surrounded by paddy fields, the Katharagama mountains, Yala National Park, and the nearby sea—all conveniently accessible in the surrounding area. And also you have different locations with all modern facilities with hotel as well. However, despite its appeal, this beautiful and strategically located site has not been effectively marketed. It is important and interesting to observe the best practices of other countries and we need to benchmark them.One good example is Nollywood in Nigeria. Nigeria’s ‘Nollywood’ produces more than 2,500 films annually, creating thousands of jobs and is Nollywood is a thriving industry and a key component of Nigeria’s economy. According to Forbes (2024), the economic influence of Nollywood is substantial. Producing over 50 full-length feature films each week, the industry directly employs more than 300,000 individuals and indirectly supports up to one million others, positioning it as one of Nigeria’s largest employers and a key contributor to the national economy. A separate report published by the Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NECLive) in November 2023 highlights the sector’s growth—from 1,800 films generating $5.1 billion in 2013 to 2,500 films worth $6.4 billion. Projections indicate that industry revenue could rise to approximately $14.82 billion by 2025. Regardless of the exact figures, the trajectory clearly reflects consistent upward growth(Forbes 2024).
Conclusion
Sri Lanka should examine the best practices of industries like Nollywood and adapt them thoughtfully to suit our own unique context. We need to explore how Ranminithenna can be developed through strategic partnerships and collaborations. This kind of initiative is key to envisioning a better Sri Lanka by 2030.Sri Lanka needs to have proper policy planning in different industries such as tourism, film and education with some synergy. There is a pressing need to establish an “Eminent Task Force” (ETF) with proper representation. The time has come for all professionals to unite and contribute toward a common goal—developing the nation.
(The writer is a Professor in Management Studies at the Open University of Sri Lanka .You can
reach Professor Abeysekera via nalinabeysekera@gmail.com.)
HitAd.lk is the best and biggest mobile phone market in Sri Lanka, and we guarantee you will find what you need here from our extensive listing of mobile phones for sale in Sri Lanka. Whether it’s a budget-priced smartphone for communication, or higher end features with advanced connectivity, there are many different options from which to choose from on our site!