Creative Industry
Minister Musawa Unveils Strategic Interventions to Boost Creative Economy and Tourism
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa Esq., has outlined key challenges and strategic interventions to enhance the growth and development of Nigeria’s creative economy and tourism sectors.
The Minister made this known while declaring open the 2025 Ministerial and Sectoral Retreat, organized by the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, held on Wednesday at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.
In her keynote address, Minister Musawa identified limited funding access, poor infrastructure, piracy issues, security concerns, and inadequate data on job creation estimates as major challenges hindering the full realization of these sectors’ capabilities.
“To address these challenges,” she said, “the Ministry will focus on infrastructure development, policy enhancement, skills development, tourism infrastructure, and data-driven decision-making.
“This includes investing in film studios, digital infrastructure, and global distribution networks, strengthening copyright and intellectual property protections and enforcement, establishing fashion incubation centers and creative hubs, enhancing heritage sites and museums, and leveraging primary and secondary data to guide job creation targets and policy interventions.”
The Minister emphasized the vast growth potential of Nigeria’s creative economy and tourism sectors, driven by increasing digital penetration and rising global demand for Nigerian content.
She also highlighted the importance of leveraging the country’s rich cultural heritage and creative talents to establish itself as Africa’s creative and tourism powerhouse.
The Minister concluded that the strategic repositioning of Nigeria’s arts, culture, tourism, and creative economy is imperative for the nation’s future prosperity. She urged stakeholders to be guided by data, inspired by Nigeria’s rich heritage, and motivated by the immense potential of these sectors for job creation, economic diversification, and global recognition.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammad MFR, mni, said the retreat was a unique opportunity to reflect and set a strategic tone to reshape various sectors of the ministry. He stated that the objectives of the retreat were to align the ministry’s strategic direction with the Renewed Hope Agenda and national development priorities, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and develop a performance framework and implementation roadmap for the ministry.
“This retreat comes at a pivotal time. The world is changing rapidly, technologically, economically, and socially, and the creative sector must be willing and ready to adapt if we are to remain the driver of innovations, job creation, and a viable tool for soft power and cultural diplomacy.
“The core objective of this assembly is for constructive deliberations on repositioning our vibrant revenue-generating sectors as catalysts for exponential economic growth, producing an effective virtuous circle for increased job creation.
To identify key legislative, institutional, and financial reforms needed for the sector’s transformation and to adopt a world-class vision, mission mandate that will guide the formation of the Ministry’s Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan 2026-2030,” the Permanent Secretary stated.
On the opening day, there were also goodwill messages from the Chairman House Committee on Tourism, representatives of the Chairman Senate Committee on Tourism, the Country Representative of the UNDP, and the Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination Central Delivery Coordination Unit. In attendance were the Directors-General and Heads of Agencies, Directors in the Ministry, Special Advisers to the President and the Honorable Minister, and senior staff of the Ministry.
Creative Industry
Nigeria and Switzerland Take First Steps Toward Artifact Repatriation and Cultural Cooperation
By Joel Ajayi
The Nigerian Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy has initiated discussions with the Swiss government on the repatriation of Nigerian artifacts currently held in Swiss museums, including significant monoliths and bronze works. The talks also aim to establish broader cultural cooperation between the two nations.
During a courtesy visit to the Honourable Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa Esq., in Abuja on Friday, the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Patrick Felix Egloff, expressed Switzerland’s readiness to engage in bilateral agreements focused on cultural diplomacy and restitution.
“This is the first time a Swiss Ambassador is meeting with a Nigerian Minister of Art and Culture. We are very interested in developing institutional cooperation with the Ministry, and we believe the restitution of these artifacts presents a strong opportunity to strengthen our partnership,” Ambassador Egloff stated.
According to the Ambassador, the process of returning the artifacts began three years ago. He noted that Switzerland intends to return several bronze pieces through the Nigerian Embassy before the end of the year.
In her response, Minister Musawa expressed appreciation for the Swiss government’s efforts and highlighted the significance of reclaiming cultural artifacts as part of preserving Nigeria’s heritage.
“This meeting marks an important milestone in deepening our cultural ties,” she said. “It is crucial for Nigeria to recover these valuable artifacts, and we look forward to broader discussions on what the restitution process will look like.”
The Minister also emphasized the importance of exploring new avenues of cooperation in areas such as animation, design, architecture, hospitality, and tourism.
“We’re excited about the potential for collaboration beyond artifact repatriation,” she added. “Engaging with the Swiss Minister of Culture will be key as we explore joint initiatives across creative and cultural sectors.”
Both parties agreed to continue their dialogue and explore long-term opportunities for collaboration in arts and culture. The meeting builds on existing diplomatic efforts and reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhancing cultural relations.
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