Creative Industry

FG, MyCityApp Group Target Tourism Growth with ‘Ember to Remember’ Initiative

Published

2 months ago

August 17, 2026

Cyril Ogar

The Federal Government, in partnership with MyCityApp Nigeria, has unveiled plans for a 100-day tourism season, “Ember to Remember,” aimed at promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage, boosting tourism, creating jobs and unlocking new economic opportunities.

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, stated this during a press conference on Monday in Abuja, during the official announcement of the initiative, which is being implemented in partnership with MyCityApp Nigeria

She said that, the initiative is as a deliberate effort to position Nigeria as a year-round tourism destination for Nigerians, the diaspora and international visitors.

According to her, the programme will run from September to December 2026 and bring together festivals, concerts, cultural celebrations, hospitality, transportation, commerce and creative activities across the country.

Musawa noted that while December had become synonymous with Nigeria’s tourism, entertainment and homecoming season, the country’s cultural and tourism offerings extend far beyond the festive period.

“Ember to Remember” would provide a coordinated platform to showcase experiences across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory while generating economic benefits for hotels, restaurants, transport operators, tour guides, retailers, event organisers and local communities.

“At the centre of the programme is MyCityApp Nigeria, a digital platform designed to provide a single gateway for discovering events, destinations, hotels, restaurants, cultural experiences and other tourism opportunities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.”

Musawa explained that increased travel would generate economic benefits across several sectors, including hotels, restaurants, transport companies, tour operators, retailers, event organisers and local communities.

She said that the initiative would not replace existing programmes of government agencies but would instead bring them together, amplify their visibility and present Nigeria’s diverse tourism offerings as part of one national story.

The Minister said the objective was to create “one country, one national calendar and one trusted place to discover Nigeria,” adding that government alone could not build a sustainable tourism economy without strong private-sector collaboration.

She acknowledged the support of MTN Nigeria and Providus Bank, while calling on more businesses and stakeholders to join the initiative.

Musawa said the ultimate goal was to establish a stronger annual tourism season that encourages domestic travel, supports businesses, creates employment and gives every state an opportunity to showcase its unique attractions.

She also urged Nigerians in the diaspora to look beyond December and consider returning home during the wider tourism season.

She said the initiative was not merely about celebrating Nigeria but about positioning the country’s culture and experiences as drivers of economic growth and international tourism.

Speaking earlier, MyCityApp Chief Executive Officer, Ifeoma Mbonu, said Nigeria already had a natural tourism season from September to December, characterised by festivals, concerts, food, fashion, music, nightlife, carnivals, homecomings and destination experiences.

“Ember to Remember” would bring these experiences together, increase their visibility and make it easier for Nigerians, the diaspora and international visitors to discover and plan their trips.

She explained that MyCityApp, as a digital city and tourism platform, would serve as a major gateway connecting people with Nigeria’s events, destinations, hospitality, culture and experiences.

Mbonu added that the vision was simple: wherever people are in the world, they should be able to ask what is happening in Nigeria and find the answer through a reliable digital platform.

However, a 100-day tourism season, “Ember to Remember National Digital Events and Experiences Calendar will be unveiled at the Ember to Remember National Stakeholders Conference scheduled for September 14, 2026, at Eko Hotel, Lagos.

The conference is expected to attract government representatives, state tourism authorities, private-sector operators, financial institutions, airlines, hospitality providers, creatives, technology companies, event organisers and the media.

Other speakers at the event include, David Ogunsola — GM Operations, MTN, Honourable Dr. Aare Abisoye Fagade — Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Dr. Olayiwola Awakan — Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA). Silely Lothan – Head, private banking, and Abuja and North Region, Providus bank.

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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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