Art and Culture Ministry Partners Futuretech To Drive Nigeria’s Official Cultural Soft Power and Tourism Brand
Joel Ajayi
The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy (FMACTCE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Futuretech to promote Nigeria’s cultural products and creative talent globally through the ‘Destination 2030; Nigeria Everywhere’ initiative.
The MoU outlines a comprehensive collaboration framework focusing on strategic planning, global communications and creative leadership including stakeholder engagement and events activation.
Under the agreement, Futuretech will serve as the brand custodian for the Destination 2030; Nigeria Everywhere initiative, ensuring consistency in messaging and brand integrity across all platforms.
At the MOU signing, the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, highlighted the significance of the partnership for Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts.
“This is indeed a full circle moment, as Futuretech has been an integral part of the FMACTCE’s evolution and has played a crucial role in streamlining our core strategic framework. Nigeria’s soft power is extraordinary, and together, we have a tremendous opportunity to leverage this power to reposition our nation globally. Through this collaboration, we will connect with the global audiences inviting them to rediscover our diverse heritage.
“Mr President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR recognises that with Nigeria’s vibrant young population, job creation is paramount, and the vast majority of these opportunities lie within the creative industry. Destination 2030; Nigeria Everywhere is our vehicle to share our creative and cultural products with the world while creating sustainable economic opportunities for our people.
“Leveraging Futuretech’s expertise, we will continue to deploy a cohesive national narrative that celebrates our culture and creativity while presenting a unified brand to international audiences,” the minister added.
Earlier, Itohan Izugbokwe, Country Manager of Futuretech expressed enthusiasm about the partnership.
“We are delighted to be part of this ambitious and transformative journey. By combining Futuretech’s innovative approach to brand building and strategic communications with the Ministry’s vision and reach, we are creating a powerful platform to showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and creative talents to the world. We are committed to positioning and amplifying Destination 2030, Nigeria Everywhere as Nigeria’s cultural soft power and tourism brand, projecting Nigerian culture and creativity to the world”.
The Ministry will provide institutional support to enhance promotional efforts and international outreach, leveraging its governmental influence to ensure alignment with national objectives and access to key diplomatic channels. Additionally, the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy will provide official endorsements and support to ensure the successful implementation of these initiatives.
Futuretech’s Frontline Advisory and Strategic Communications business; Futuretech The Practice works with private and public sectors to address complex, business-critical issues that require diverse cross-discipline expertise and strategic communications expertise.
Destination 2030; Nigeria Everywhere, an initiative of the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy is Nigeria’s cultural soft power and tourism brand, projecting Nigerian culture and creativity to the world.
Sports
Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney
Joel Ajayi
The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.
Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.
In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.
The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.
In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.
At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.
According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.
He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.
“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.
Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.
He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.
The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.
He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.
“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.
Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.
The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.
According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.
The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.
It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.
The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.
He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.
“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.
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