Culture and Tourism

Kangiwa Pledges Support To Hofa On Capacity Building For Hospitality Personnel

Published

5 years ago

March 10, 2021

Joel Ajayi

The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, has promised to make available skill acquisition and training programs for personnel staff of members of Hotel Owners Forum of Abuja (HOFA) so as to up their game in quality service delivery in their respective hotels.

Alhaji Kangiwa who made the pledge when the newly elected officials of HOFA led by its President, Barr. Mrs. Funmi Kazeem paid him a courtesy visit in the Abuja headquarters of the Institute on Wednesday said big beautiful structures don’t make a hotel a hospitable abode unless the quality of services of the personnel are of high standard and amiable to customers.

He said the desired standard and high-quality service delivery in hospitality business can only be achieved if personnel running the hotels have the needed skills for effective running and operations of such hotels, adding that this is where training and re-training become germane if the country is to meet the global best practices and requirements in hospitality operations and management.

The Director General who said the doors of the Institute are open to offer high quality skill acquisition and training programs to HOFA staff as part of its core mandate in the development of the Hospitality and travel-tourism industry of Nigeria, also called on HOFA members to key into the soon to be launched campaign of #SayNoToDirtyKitchen as part of the Institute’s drive for a clean and healthy environment of eatery centres in the country.

While congratulating and wishing the newly elected officials a successful tenure in office, he offered to assist HOFA with an office desk officer within the Institute to address urgent needs of the Association in relation to their day-to-day operations.

Earlier in her address, Barr. Mrs. Funmi Kazeem said she and members of her executive council chose to pay the Director General the courtesy visit because of the existing cordial relationship between the Association and the Institute and the need to further strengthen the relationship for the good of the hospitality industry.

Mrs. Kazeem said with the new trend of high tech and innovative practices in the global hospitality trades and business, the Association is desirous of training its staff now more than ever before in order to meet up with world class requirements and best practices.

She solicited for all available assistance that NIHOTOUR can offer members of the Association so as to achieve a prosperous hospitality business environment in Abuja in particular and the country at large.

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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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