Culture and Tourism

Nigeria Seeks Tourism ‘Marshall Plan’ To Aid Post-COVID-19 Recovery In Africa

Published

6 years ago

June 8, 2020

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has called for a ‘Marshall Plan’ to aid the recovery of the Travel and Tourism Sector in Africa, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that has hit the sector very hard.

”It is imperative for the United Nations World Tourism Organization(UNWTO) to support Africa with a ‘Marshall Plan’ of sorts, in terms of technical assistance, capacity building and grants,” the Minister said in his intervention during the 63rd Meeting of the UNWTO
Regional Commission for Africa (CAF), hosted virtually by Seychelles on Monday.

He said the fastest way for the Travel and Tourism Sector in Africa to recover from the effects of the pandemic is to focus on domestic and intra-Africa tourism.

Alhaji Mohammed said following the outbreak of the pandemic, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture had to act quickly, because the impact of the pandemic has been particularly devastating, due to its importance and relevance to the national
economy.

”The Travel and Tourism sector and indeed the entire Nigeria Creative Industry is large, diverse, dynamic and critical for economic growth, development and diversification. It is the biggest creator of jobs after agriculture. Also, the Industry contributes between 2.5 and 3%to the nation’s GDP,” he said.

The Minister told the meeting that a 22-member stakeholders committee has been established and tasked with working out the immediate, short and long term economic stimulus and initiatives for the industry, in order to mitigate the effect of the pandemic.

”The committee, with membership drawn from the Tourism, Hospitality, Music, Film, Fashion, Photography and Broadcasting media, among others, is tasked with assessing the expected impact of the pandemic on the industry in general; advising the Government on how to mitigate job and revenue losses in the industry as well as to create succor for the industry small businesses; suggesting the type of taxation and financing that are best for the industry at this time to encourage growth, and advising the Government on any other measure or measures that can be undertaken to support the industry.

”We are rejigging the National Endowment for the Arts to align it with the current realities. We are also studying the new set of guidelines/recommendations by the UNWTO as well as the ‘Safe Travel Protocols ‘ designed by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)for the purpose of domesticating them. I have no doubt that
the measures we are putting in place will yield positive results in sustaining the Creative Industry in Nigeria,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also established a 50 billion Naira stimulus package to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic on households, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and the Creative Industry.

He said as Nigeria gradually opens up, just like the rest of the world, new protocols are being put in place for the safety and security of all, listing such measures as training of personnel on security and safety measures, infection control, adherence to government protocols, enhanced hygiene measures, use of personal protective equipment and
facility sanitation.

The Minister commended the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), which has pledged US$500 million for the Creative Industry in Africa, saying the support will come in handy ”as our sector seeks to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

Share on Facebook

Culture and Tourism

Awakan Marks First Anniversary as NTDA DG, Charts New Course for Tourism Sector

Published

1 week ago

September 24, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

As the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) enters its second year under the leadership of the Director-General, Mr. Ola Awakan, the focus will remain on building partnerships and converting Nigeria’s tourism assets into greater opportunities for investment and accelerated economic growth.

That simple message framed the one year scorecard presented on Wednesday by Mr. Awakan during NTDA Tourism Week 2026 and activities leading to World Tourism Day held in Abuja.

“Nigeria does not lack tourism assets,” Awakan said. “What is required is a system that connects these assets to investments, jobs, technology, enterprise and sustainable economic value.” He added.

Reeling out his scorecard, Awakan observed that over the past year, the Authority concentrated on stakeholder engagement, innovation, investment facilitation, digital transformation, destination marketing, tourism intelligence and institution building.

He explained that efforts have been made towards deeper collaboration with government institutions, traditional institutions, private-sector operators, development partners, financial institutions, professional bodies, communities and international partners.

On the digital front, the NTDA boss said the Authority has advanced NITOUREY, a dedicated tourism streaming platform and content ecosystem meant to take Nigerian destinations, culture and experiences to wider audiences, in alignment with this year’s World Tourism Day theme, “Digital agenda and artificial intelligence to redesign Tourism”.

He also identified Naija Flavour as a flagship project to position Nigerian cuisine as both a tourism asset and a tool for cultural diplomacy, linking tourism to Nollywood, music, fashion, food, festivals and digital creativity.

Speaking further, Awakan reiterated that the NTDA is also digitising tourism enterprise accreditation and regulatory processes while developing a grassroots tourism framework to identify, document and promote assets across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

Internationally, NTDA has expanded ties with tourism institutions, diplomatic missions, development partners and global organisations on technical cooperation, investment, destination marketing, capacity building, cultural diplomacy and market access.

The NTDA helmsman however recognised that challenges remain such as infrastructure gaps, weak tourism data, limited connectivity to some destinations, security concerns in certain locations, regulatory compliance shortfalls and the need for stronger private-sector participation.

Awakan remained positive looking ahead with his priorities including the mobilisation of more tourism investment, accelerating the development of viable assets, expanding domestic and international marketing through deeper digital transformation, strengthening regulation, increasing community participation, building capacity of tourism professionals and deepening partnerships with international tourism institutions.

The DG also announced plans for the expanded Naija Flavour International Tourism Expo to be unveiled in Abuja later this year making it the ultimate platform aimed at drawing international participation, investors and development partners into the sector.

While thanking President Bola Tinubu GCFR for giving him the opportunity to serve, he added that, “One year in office is not the destination. It is a checkpoint,” reiterating that the next phase would require stronger partnerships, greater investment and sustained institutional commitment.

Earlier, the Director of Marketing and Promotion of NTDA Mr. Olufemi Akinyele, said the milestone was being marked as part of NTDA Tourism Week, which began with a road walk and a guided tour of Abuja under the theme “Digital Vibes, Nigerian Pride: Celebrating Tourism, Culture and People.”

Government and industry representatives at the event congratulated the Director General and commended the Authority’s increased engagement with tourism stakeholders.

Share on Facebook