Creative Industry

FG Suspends All NIHOTOUR Enforcement Activities Nationwide

Published

11 months ago

November 17, 2025

Joel Ajayi

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy has announced the immediate suspension of all enforcement activities carried out by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) across the country.

In a statement Signed on Monday in Abuja by the Senior Assistant Media and Publicity Office of the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative EconomyNneka Ikem Anibeze stated that, this decision, approved by the Honourable Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., follows a comprehensive review of recent enforcement operations by NIHOTOUR and growing concerns expressed by stakeholders within the hospitality and tourism sectors.

According to the Minister, the suspension is necessary to restore order, protect the rights of operators, and ensure that regulatory activities are conducted within the limits of the law and in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“The Ministry has taken note of widespread complaints regarding NIHOTOUR’s recent compliance actions. We are committed to maintaining a stable, transparent, and business-friendly tourism environment. Until a full policy and operational review is completed, all NIHOTOUR enforcement activities are hereby suspended nationwide,” the Minister stated.

The suspension includes, but is not limited to:Field inspections and compliance raidsDemand notices, fines, and regulatory sanctionsLicensing or registration enforcementAny activity by NIHOTOUR officials involving police or third-party security operatives

The Ministry emphasized that it remains the supervising authority over NIHOTOUR, as established by law and reinforced by the Institute’s gazetted operational mandate.

The Federal Government assures stakeholders that every regulatory action going forward will be grounded in law, professionalism, and industry-wide consultation. A multi-stakeholder engagement will be convened to clarify grey areas in the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act and prevent future disruptions.

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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.

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