Creative Industry

NIHOTOUR Signs MoU with Akperan Orshi Polytechnic on Staff Capacity Building

Published

5 years ago

November 10, 2021

Joel Ajayi
In its effort at promoting professionalism in the Travel Tourism and Hospitality industry of the country, the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism NIHOTOUR has, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Institute and the Akperan Orshi Polytechnic, Yandev – Benue State.

At the MoU signing ceremony which took place at the Polytechnic Campus, Yandev, on Tuesday Evening, in Benue state Director General of NIHOTOUR Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, who led members of his Management team to the occasion, stressed the commitment of the Institute to promote and maintain high quality professional conduct of service delivery in the Travel Tourism and Hospitality industry of Nigeria in line with global best practices.

Kangiwa who noted that Akperan Orshi Polytechnic has training goals in common with NIHOTOUR in the training of high skilled manpower needed in the industry, stated that combining the Hands-on-training expertise of the Institute and the more elaborate theoretical cum practical learning skills of the polytechnic will result in the production of the best manpower requirement of the industry that will grow the sector and contribute substantially to the economic growth and development of the Nigerian economy.

The Director General then expressed the readiness of the Institute to offer all the needed services and assistance necessary for the training of both staff and students of the Polytechnic so as to strengthen its training capacity and capability to produce well skilled and competent professionals who will offer on the job and quality service delivery in the tourism industry of the country.

In his addresed at the signing ceremony, the Rector of Akperan Orshi Polytechnic, Dr. Ahemen Samuel Aondoaver said the desire of the Polytechnic to key into government’s diversification efforts into the non-oil sector of the economy viz-a-viz agriculture, travel tourism, hospitality, etc., informed the decision to partner with NIHOTOUR.

Dr. Ahemen S. A. who stated that the collaboration of the Polytechnic with NIHOTOUR is in line with the vision and mission of the school to produce middle and high level manpower that will increase the productive capacity in the various courses and areas of training, said it will further empower the youth to be self-employed and self-sustaining upon graduation from the school.

The Rector noted that the country now more than ever before requires highly skill youths who will, upon completion of their course programs, not go in search of non-existing white collar jobs, but be able to get jobs in the tourism industry either as employees or employers because of the resilient nature of the tourism industry as the biggest creator of jobs and employment opportunities.

When it takes effect, the MoU seeks for training of the tourism and hospitality staff of the polytechnic who will in turn train and impact the necessary skills on their students and NIHOTOUR to help in the establishment of a functional Department of Travel Tourism and Hospitality among others

Share on Facebook

Creative Industry

FG Backs MyCityApp Launch of 100-Day Tourism Calendar to Drive $100bn Economic Growth

Published

2 weeks ago

September 15, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Federal Government has thrown its weight behind the launch of MyCityApp, a Nigerian city discovery and tourism platform designed to aggregate festivals, concerts, cultural events and lifestyle experiences into a single digital calendar.

The platform, which flags off the 100-Day Tourism Calendar, was unveiled on Monday at the Ember2Remember National Stakeholders’ Conference in Victoria Island, Lagos, with the initiative targeting Nigeria’s estimated $100 billion tourism and creative economy opportunity.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by the Media and Publicity Adviser to the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, the ministry said the conference was aimed at mobilising public and private stakeholders to transform the September-to-December festive period into jobs, investment and economic growth.

Speaking at the unveiling, the Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa, said millions of visitors travel across Nigeria every year to celebrate, reconnect and experience the country’s diverse culture, stressing that the festive season could be deliberately organised and monetised to strengthen tourism’s contribution to the economy.

“This initiative is about moving beyond the traditional concept of a festive season. It is about deliberately organising, packaging, promoting, and monetising one of the most economically active periods in our national calendar,” Musawa said.

She noted that every visitor generates economic activity across several sectors, including aviation, transportation, hospitality, restaurants, entertainment, retail, technology, artisans and local communities.

The Minister commended MyCityApp Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Ifeoma Chukwu, for her vision and commitment to the initiative.

She urged state governments, event organisers, tourism operators, hospitality businesses and other stakeholders to list their festivals, concerts, exhibitions, food experiences, cultural celebrations, fashion and sporting events on the national calendar.

Musawa said the platform would enable Nigerians, members of the diaspora and international visitors to discover tourism and entertainment experiences across the country from a single, credible source.

Earlier, Chukwu said Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and creative sector provided enormous opportunities for tourism-driven economic growth.

She cited the contributions of tourism to the economies of countries such as Spain, France and the United States, arguing that Nigeria could equally build a $100 billion tourism economy.

Also present were Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka; Enugu State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ugochi Madueke; NCAC Director-General, Obi Asika; National Gallery of Art Director-General, Ahmed Sodangi; ARCON Director-General, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo; and MTN Nigeria CEO, Dr Karl Toriola.

MyLagosApp and MyCityApp will serve as the digital engines of the calendar, distributing events through a 360-degree media ecosystem to audiences in Nigeria and the diaspora.

Stakeholders were encouraged to upload their events on MyCityApp to participate in the national tourism calendar urging them to upload events on http://www.MyCityApp.io.

Share on Facebook