Examining Strides in Tourism, Art, Culture, Creative Ministries

Charles Ajunwa writes on achievements recorded by the ministers of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Creative Economy 

From all indications, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, carried out all necessary due diligence before appointing Mrs. Lola Ade-John and  Hannatu Musa Musawa as Ministers of Tourism; Culture, Arts and Creative Economy, respectively. 

Given that the two ministries of Tourism; Arts, Culture and Creative Economy are highly competitive, stakeholders never expected anything less from the President as the duo are round pegs in round holes. Their  appointments were based on capacity and competences. 

Even though it took a while before Ade-John and Musawa hit the ground running, they have made appreciable impacts within one year of assuming office in their various ministries. Both ministers are accelerating at great speed to be able to achieve the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. 

On tourism, the minister as part of strategies to breath life into the ministry has vigorously pursued collaborations with relevant  stakeholders. Her engagement with stakeholders in the National Association of Travel Agencies (NANTA), Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN) and Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET), have helped the minister to gain the confidence of major stakeholders in tourism sector. Equally, the stakeholders have started buying into the minister’s policies and programmes targeted at making Nigeria’s tourism attractive to tourists from all over the world and attracting foreign direct investments (FDIs).

The Tourism Ministry’s collaborations with entities such as Africa House Germany, Cavista, and Sterling Bank have helped in no small measure in promoting Nigerian tourism and securing investments for tourism infrastructure development. 

The establishment of a National Multi-disciplinary Committee on Classification and Grading of Accommodation Establishments, alongside the resuscitation of the Presidential Council on Tourism (PCT), underscores the ministry’s commitment to developing a robust regulatory framework for the sector.

The Ministry of Tourism under Ade-John’s watch has forged new diplomatic partnerships with countries such as Cuba, Iran, Israel, Spain, and the UAE, enhancing bilateral tourism cooperation and opening new vistas for tourism growth. By doing so, numerous cultural festivals and initiatives have received endorsements from the ministry, including ALGOFEST, Afro Flavour, and the IPADA Carnival, which celebrate Nigeria’s diverse culture and promote unity.

The minister’s initiatives such as EcoGenesis Incubator Series in Benue, Lagos, and Ekiti states have fostered local tourism, promoting sustainable and community-driven tourism projects.

According to insiders, the Tourism Minister has avoided all the temptations of dodging her duties as she leads from the front. To achieve Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, she has made it a point of duty to embark on tours to historical and cultural sites to showcase Nigeria’s rich heritage and attract both domestic and international tourists. To this end, she visited places like Ikogosi Warm Springs, King Kosoko Museum, and Obudu Mountain Resort, aimed at promoting the tourism sector. 

The Tourism Ministry has actively engaged with state governments, including Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, and Lagos, to develop local tourism assets and enhance regional tourism appeal. Events such as the +234 Artfair, the Oyo International Summit, and the International Hospitality Tourism & Eco Sustainability Forum have positioned Nigeria as a key player in global tourism conversations.

Promoting Nigeria’s rich biodiversity and historical sites has also received priority from Tourism Minister. The ministry’s collaborations with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service have led to the promotion of over 300 tourist sites, including the Yankari Game Reserve and UNESCO Heritage Sites. 

Festivals in various states, such as the Argungu International Fishing Festival in Kebbi and the Calabar Carnival, have highlighted the country’s vibrant cultural scene.

Similar painstaking achievements are recorded in the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy under Musawa’s watch. The elegantly beautiful minister who is intellectually endowed, is number marketer of Nigeria’s arts, culture and creatives, has ensured that the ministry’s mandates are executed without room for excuses. 

Just last week, in a show of audacity driven by national interest, Musawa revealed how her ministry secured a $200 million financing facility with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to support the growth of the country’s creative industries.

According to Musawa, this partnership with Afreximbank is a crucial component of the Destination 2030 vision and one of the ministry’s ambitious goals for the creative economy, noting that Destination 2030: ‘Nigeria Everywhere’, is the ministry’s roadmap to transforming Nigeria into a global cultural powerhouse and called on more stakeholders to invest in the vision.

“To fully realise this vision, I urge investors, development partners, and global collaborators to join us in creating two million jobs and contributing $100 billion to the national GDP,” the minister said.

She further said that the ‘Destination 2030’ initiative aims to establish Nigeria as a global soft power leader by 2030, with clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set by President Tinubu noting that as of 2024, the ministry reported a 36 per cent increase in Nigeria’s cultural influence alongside an 18 per cent increase in the Brand Perception Index.

On his part, President and Chairman of Afreximbank, Professor Benedict Oramah who announced the partnership in New York at the sidelines of just concluded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), stated that the $200 million facility is to support the ministry’s new initiatives for sustainable economic growth, emphasising the importance of investing in the creative industries and positioning Africa as a global cultural leader.

“The Bank has deployed the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Programme to enhance Africa’s share of global trade in creatives and cultural products by offering tailored financial solutions, facilitating technical capacity building, and opening avenues for market access for creative entrepreneurs.

“It is for this reason that we are pleased to be working with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, to put in place, a financing facility in an amount of 200 million US dollars to support new laudable initiatives in support of the creative and cultural industries. We are impressed by the commitment and passion of the Ministry and the alignment with Afreximbank creatives strategy. We hope that we can work together to entrench this fully and use it to support the industry in a way that boosts pan-African cross-country partnership,” Oramah said. 

Musawa who also engaged in several high-level meetings on the sidelines of UNGA79 to bolster Nigeria’s cultural and creative ambitions, advanced Nigeria’s cultural and creative goals through high-level meetings with top UN officials, including Amina Mohammed, to align Nigeria’s cultural initiatives with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and discussing Nigeria’s eight-point plan with U.S. Under Secretary Lee Satterfield. 

The minister as part of efforts to preserve Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and make its historical treasures more accessible to the public, also announced in New York, launch of the initiative to refurbish and revitalise six national museums across the country. They include the National Museums in Ilorin, Birnin Kebbi, Uyo, Owerri, Gidan Makama Museum in Kano State and Zazzau Emirate Museum in Kaduna State. 

The project, according to Musawa, was done in collaboration with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, noting that refurbishment programme set to begin this month, will focus on infrastructure upgrades, enhanced security systems, and improved exhibit spaces. “By incorporating modern technologies and sustainable practices, the initiative seeks to create interactive and educational environments that celebrate Nigeria’s diverse cultural legacy,” she said. 

“Our museums are custodians of Nigeria’s culture and history. This refurbishment project will not only preserve our heritage for future generations but also promote cultural tourism and education in Nigeria. We are committed to making our museums more accessible, engaging, and reflective of our rich artistic tradition in line with His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and our Ministry’s Eight-Point Plan,” the minister added. 

The project will engage local artisans, historians, and curators to ensure the upgraded monuments are culturally represented and historically accurate. The initiative is expected to create numerous job opportunities within the cultural sector, supporting local economies and fostering nationwide appreciation for the arts.

The ministry invited all stakeholders, including cultural organisations, educational institutions, and the general public to join hands in supporting the transformative project. 

As part of her unquenching taste to mandates and deadlines, the minister recently announced that the ministry will launch an Intellectual Property (IP) Policy any time soon. She said that the policy which is being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, will revolutionise the protection and promotion of Nigeria’s creative industry. 

“One of the things that we knew was very important was to set up a regulatory and legal framework. We didn’t have a proper policy framework that could protect or support people or creators within the sector, so, we are  working on an Intellectual Property policy which is completely foundational and there is  an inter-ministerial committee that has been set up for that purpose.

“The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment and I  are driving that particular policy and hopefully, within the next three to four weeks, that should be done.  We are  working together with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group NESG and WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organisation, to also come up with an updated version of  our culture policy that will be in line with the yearnings and the nuances of today.

“We are committed to empowering our creatives and unlocking the full potential of our creative industry. This policy will be a major milestone in our journey towards becoming a global creative hub”, Minister Musawa stated.

The policy, when finalised is expected to provide a robust framework for the protection of intellectual property rights, fostering a conducive environment for creativity and innovation to thrive guidelines for IP protection and enforcement, support for creatives to commercialise their work,

support for collaboration between Nigerian and international creatives and fostering  innovation and entrepreneurship.

With international partnerships in place as cited in the ministry’s eight-point agenda, including collaborations with the World Intellectual Property Organisation, Nigeria is poised to become a leader in intellectual property protection. She promised to also engage with local stakeholders, including creatives, industry experts, and legal professionals, to ensure the policy meets the needs of the Nigerian creative community.

The launch of the IP policy is expected to have a significant impact on Nigeria’s creative industry, attracting investment, creating jobs, and promoting cultural exchange. 

Many stakeholders believe the Ministers of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, should banish pride, ego, tribal and ethnic sentiments and go all out to engage the services of the former Director General of National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, whose tenure was acclaimed eventful. Runsewe, achieved similar feat as Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).

Runsewe’s inputs are needed at this time to drive tourism, art, culture and creative industries. His digital approach will do the Ministers of Tourism, Art, Culture and Creative Economy a world of good. Ade-John and Musawa need all hands on deck to execute successfully, the mandates given to them and leave enduring legacies in their various ministries.