Creative Industry

Emirates Airline to Participate in Africa Tourism, Creative Economy Expo

Published

3 months ago

August 27, 2025

The United Arab Emirates, UAE has confirmed the participation of Emirates Airline in the upcoming Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo, (AFTCREE) scheduled to hold in Abuja from Nov. 24th to 25th.
The New Agency of Nigeria reports that the Expo is being organised by Afrocultour in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Arts Culture Tourism and Creative Economy.

In a confirmation letter sent to the Chief Executive Officer, (CEO), Aftocultour Mr, Chuks Akamadu, in Abuja on Tuesday, the Embassy extended its warm regards and appreciation for the invitation.

NAN reports that the Expo was endorsed by the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The participation of Emirates Airline underscores the UAE’s commitment to strengthening ties with Nigeria and the African continent, particularly in the areas of tourism, trade, and creative enterprise.

As one of the world’s leading carriers, Emirates’ involvement in the Expo reflects its dedication to promoting connectivity, innovation, and economic growth.

It is hoped that the Expo would present a unique opportunity for UAE’s reaffirmation of her continued partnership with Nigeria and indeed the entire African continent in advancing initiatives for prosperity .

The upcoming Expo aims, among other things, to urge African countries to commit to significant increase in their tourism and creative economy annual budgetary allocations and inaugurate “Agenda 2030”.

The agenda is believed to aspire to jerk up Africa’s contribution to global trade from less than three percent to at least 10 percent.

As well as increasing the continent’s five percent share of the $11 trillion global tourism revenue to at least 20 percent by the year 2030.

This, the organisers believe, can be achieved through mainstreaming tourism, the cultural industry and entertainment into the service sector and instituting a peer review mechanism for African countries.

This is aimed at comparing notes bilaterally and multilaterally on emerging tourism and creative industry trends within the precincts of mutual profit. NAN

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Creative Industry

Musawa Highlights Art and Culture as Drivers of Public Sector Excellence at Legislative Mentorship Session

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., has emphasized the importance of integrating art and culture into public-sector excellence in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the SA Media & Publicity, Office of the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Phd.

Musawa made this known while addressing trainees at the 4th Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), held at the National Institute For Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abuja on Thursday.

Themed ‘Building the next generation of Public Sector Leaders’, Minister Musawa highlighted art and culture as essential tools for national cohesion and identity, economic development and job creation, innovation and civic engagement, sustainable development, and projecting Nigeria’s soft power and global identity.

She noted that Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage is a unifying force that binds different ethnicities and elaborated on how Art and Culture is key to public-sector excellence in Nigeria.

“First, embracing and promoting art and culture helps to forge national cohesion and shared identity among Nigeria’s diverse populations. Integrating culture into public policy and governance transforms the creative and cultural sectors into engines of economic development, job creation and diversification. Cultural industries including crafts, music, film, design, heritage tourism can generate livelihoods, attract investment, expand exports, and reduce overreliance on a narrow set of economic activities.

“A society that values creativity and cultural expression tends to produce more resourceful citizens, fosters cross-cultural dialogue, and encourages public servants to be more adaptive, empathetic, and culturally aware while prioritizing culture and creative economy in public policy through frameworks, institutions, and infrastructure, demonstrates long-term vision and commitment to sustainable development,” Musawa said.

The Minister called for supportive policies, enabling legislation, and sustained commitment to fulfill this vision, including laws that protect intellectual property, incentivize investment in creative infrastructure, and integrate arts and culture into education and community development.

“Embedding art and culture at the heart of governance and public-sector planning is not a luxury, it is a necessity. It builds unity, drives economic growth, fosters innovation, strengthens institutions, and ensures that development respects and reflects the soul of the nation,” she emphasized.

Musawa thanked the founder of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his inspiring vision and unwavering commitment to cultivating Nigeria’s future public-service leaders.

Other speakers at the Legislative Mentorship Initiative include the Director General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization Aisha Augie, Nigerian photo-journalist and documentary photographer Bayo Omoboriowo, Amb. Dapo Oyewole, Secretary-General Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures amongst others.

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