The federal government at the weekend said it was set to launch the ‘National Tourism Policy’ in a renewed push to reposition the industry as a central pillar of economic growth, declaring that the long-awaited transformation of the sector is now underway.
Delivering her keynote address at the ‘Destination Nigeria Governors Tourism Conference’ in Abuja, Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, said the current administration has identified tourism as one of Nigeria’s strongest pathways to economic diversification.
She noted that the National Tourism Policy, which had remained stalled for years, is now before the Cabinet Affairs Office and will be presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) within weeks.
The minister, who was represented at the conference by her Chief of Staff, Raphael Obi, stated: “For tourism, you must have heard over time that the only way to diversify Nigeria’s economy is through tourism. And all over the world, tourism remains one of the greatest sources of revenue and development of any country.
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“The National Policy on Tourism, or National Tourism Policy, is currently at the Cabinet Affairs Office of the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation. So our expectation is that in the next few weeks, this policy will be presented to the Federal Executive Council.
” I assure you that the moment this policy comes alive, tourism will begin to blossom in Nigeria. We have all manner of investors and the government has given us certain specific mandates.”
Obi also highlighted priority projects receiving federal support, including the redevelopment of Obudu Mountain Resort, where a private-sector-funded airport is 85 per cent complete.
“United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) is setting up 2.5 megawatts of electricity just for the resort. And it’s going to cost them almost $2.5 million. Then the federal government is putting in $5 billion naira to rehabilitate and resuscitate most of the infrastructure that will make it world-class and top-notch,” he explained.
Earlier, Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, Ola Awakan, said Nigeria’s tourism ambitions can only be achieved through stronger public-private collaboration. Praising the event’s convener, Ayo Omotoso, he described the project as a strategic initiative capable of transforming the sector.
“States are the heartbeat of Nigeria’s tourism ecosystem. Each one possesses unique attractions and comparative advantages that, if properly annexed, can stimulate local enterprise, generate employment and significantly boost internally generated revenue,” Awakan said.
He added, “Let us envision a Nigeria where tourism is not just an afterthought but a driver of prosperity, where our youth find purpose and income in creative and tourism enterprises, where our heritage sites, festivals and natural endowments are protected and profitably managed, and where every state becomes a destination in its own right.”
In his remarks, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Administration, Udo Atam, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to preserving the Abuja master plan and maintaining the capital in line with global best practices, and warned against the misuse of public spaces.
“Transforming Abuja into a world-class capital is a top priority for the administration of President Bola Tinubu, and ongoing infrastructure expansion across the territory reflects this commitment,” he stated.
“Over the years, in the FCT, as we all know, most of these areas that were meant for the collective use of our people were abused and converted into personal properties that our wealth, which should have been common wealth, were now seized by certain individuals. This will not continue,” he stated.
