C.R.E.A.M Platform Affirms Sterling Bank’s Role in Building Financial Infrastructure for Creatives

C.R.E.A.M platform (Creative Reality, Entertainment, Arts & Music), a creator-focused platform, Direct to fans, founded by Nigerian music icon and entrepreneur, Dapo “D’Banj” Oyebanjo, has highlighted over a decade of impact within Africa’s creative industry, alongside a deepening financial partnership with Sterling Bank.

This was shared at an industry event themed “Co-Creating Financial Solutions for Nigeria’s Tourism, Arts and Creative Economy,” hosted by Sterling Bank at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. The event convened stakeholders from the financial sector, tourism, arts, and the broader creative ecosystem to examine how tailored financial infrastructure can unlock growth across these sectors.

Speaking at the event, D’Banj emphasised that the C.R.E.A.M platform was built from lived experience within the creative industry and has spent the last 10 years addressing structural gaps that limit creators’ ability to grow, monetise, and sustain their work.

“C.R.E.A.M platform was created by practitioners, for practitioners. One reality we have seen repeatedly is that talent is abundant, but access to structured finance remains a major gap in the creative industry,” he said.

A key milestone in the partnership between the C.R.E.A.M platform and Sterling Bank is the rollout of the C.R.E.A.M Pay, a financial solution designed to give creators structured access to banking and payment services. The wallet, which comes with co-branded debit cards by C.R.E.A.M and Sterling Bank, enables creators to receive and manage income across multiple revenue streams.

Through the platform, creators can seamlessly receive earnings from Global streaming platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, MTN Caller Ring Back Tunes, as well as Full Content Download, Africa’s first true direct-to-fan digital music purchase service (Like Apple music and Amazon music). 

According to D’Banj, the Sterling – C.R.E.A.M Pay represents a critical step in bridging creativity and finance. “This solution gives creators access, structure, dignity, and control over their earnings — and importantly, recognises their intellectual property as a real asset,” he said.

“It addresses a long-standing reality where creatives generate value and own valuable IP, yet remain excluded from financial systems that support growth and sustainability.”

C.R.E.A.M platform, he also noted, is in ongoing conversations with Sterling Bank around sustainability within the creative economy. These discussions explore how green energy and sustainable financing models could, over time, support creators through cleaner mobility options and renewable power solutions.

A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of C.R.E.A.M platform’s decarbonisation initiative for the creative industry, developed in collaboration with Sterling Bank. The initiative allows for creatives to own Electric vehicles and Solar Energy with convenient payment plans through a valid application process to the C.R.E.A.M platform, enabling cleaner mobility and environmentally responsible operating models for creatives.

The impact of the initiative was underscored with the recognition of Nigerian entertainer and one of C.R.E.A.M platform’s first winners, Olufemi Oladapo Oke-Oko, popularly known as Slimcase, as its first beneficiary. Slimcase, widely known for his music collaboration with Tiwa Savage on the street anthem “Diet,” was presented with an electric vehicle worth over $50,000, marking a tangible step toward reducing carbon emissions within the creative ecosystem, while demonstrating how sustainability can be practically integrated into creative livelihoods.

Responding, Slimcase expressed appreciation to Sterling Bank and D’Banj for turning sustainability conversations into real action, noting that access to cleaner mobility solutions and structured finance support is essential for creatives navigating the realities of their work. He was also unveiled at the event as a C.R.E.A.M platform ambassador, reflecting the platform’s commitment to working with culturally relevant creatives who embody its values and remain closely connected to the realities of the industry.

With Sterling Bank as its financial partner, the C.R.E.A.M platform continues to strengthen the infrastructure that supports creators across music, arts, film, and digital content, while positioning the platform for its next phase of growth across Nigeria and Africa.

About C.R.E.A.M Platform

C.R.E.A.M. (Creative Reality, Entertainment, Arts & Music) is a creator-focused ecosystem founded by Dapo “D’Banj” Oyebanjo to discover, empower, and monetise creative talent across Africa. Operating for over a decade, the platform provides creators with access to monetisation pathways, financial infrastructure, and industry opportunities via web and USSD.

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