CIIA launches creative industry mapping campaign

The Creative Industry Institute Africa (CIIA) has launched its Creative Industry Guide 2026 national registration campaign, calling on Namibia’s creative professionals, businesses and organisations to register on its online directory.

The campaign aims to create a centralised database of creative practitioners and service providers across the country, providing updated information that can be used to improve visibility, policy planning, investment and access to opportunities within the sector.

CIIA co-founder Joel Haikali said the organisation currently has more than 800 creative practitioners registered on its database and is aiming to significantly increase that figure through the 2026 campaign.

He said Namibia’s creative industry mapping initiative has also attracted international attention, with countries including Nigeria and Zimbabwe subsequently developing their own creative industry guides, with Namibia's assistance. Haikali stressed the importance of accurate industry data in attracting investment. “Without this information, it's very difficult to attract the investment that we need,” he said.

The online platform allows creatives to create individual profiles, submit their information and update their details in real time. The registration process captures information including areas of creative practice, employment status and, where applicable, the number of people employed. The database is also intended to make it easier for organisations and businesses to find creative professionals and service providers in different regions. Users and institutions will have opportunities to endorse creatives and provide reviews.

Mapping creative talent

CIIA development manager Olivia Heinonen urged creatives already listed on the platform to confirm their information, while those who are not yet registered were encouraged to create profiles through the CIIA website. Speaking at the launch, deputy minister of arts and culture Dino Ballotti said reliable information was essential for effective government planning and investment in the creative sector.

“Visibility creates opportunity,” Ballotti said, adding that information enables creatives to connect with markets, investors, collaborators and audiences. He said the mapping campaign would help create a national knowledge base capable of informing policy, guiding investment, identifying gaps and improving decision-making across the creative industries.

The Creative Industry Guide was first published in 2018, followed by online editions in subsequent years. The 2026 campaign seeks to significantly expand and update the information available on Namibia’s creative ecosystem. The printed Creative Industry Guide 2026 is expected to be finalised in September, while the findings and data from the broader mapping campaign will be presented in 2027.

CIIA is encouraging artists, creative entrepreneurs, cultural organisations and institutions across Namibia to register or update their information as part of the national campaign.