Creative Industry

Musawa Flags Off Renewed Hope Cultural Project in Katsina

Published

1 year ago

April 9, 2025

…To Be replicated across the 36 states of the federation

The Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, has officially flagged off the Renewed Hope Cultural Project in Katsina State, signaling the beginning of a transformative initiative to revitalize Nigeria’s cultural heritage and creative economy.

The project, which is set to be replicated across all 36 states of the federation, is designed to promote and preserve Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage by showcasing its diversity and unlocking the tourism potential of local communities. Central to the initiative is the establishment of Renewed Hope Cultural Villages—comprising Creative and Art Studios, Arts and Crafts Markets, Exhibition Centres, and spaces tailored to the unique cultural expressions and craftsmanship of each state.

The project also includes the renovation of historic monuments and heritage sites, as well as capacity-building initiatives targeted at rural communities, especially the youth. These interventions aim to provide platforms for creative expression, empower local artisans, and generate millions of jobs across the country.

During the flag-off ceremony, Minister Musawa commended the Katsina State Government for its dedication to preserving iconic historical sites such as the Gobarau Minaret (est. 1348), Radar Daurama (dating back over 2,600 years), the Kusugu Well, and Durbi Takusheyi, among others.

Speaking at the historic Ƙofa Ukkur Gate, which suffered damage due to heavy rains last year, the Minister emphasized the project’s goal.

“The Renewed Hope Cultural Project was conceived to harness the immense creative potential of Nigerians, ensuring the preservation of our history in its most authentic form. This will drive local tourism, boost the economy, increase GDP contributions, and create job opportunities for millions nationwide.”

In response, Prof. Abdulhamid Ahmed, Katsina State Commissioner for Rural and Social Development, expressed appreciation for the initiative, lauding the selection of Katsina as the project’s pioneer state. He pledged the full support of the State Government to ensure its success.

As part of her visit, the Minister paid homage to the Emir of Daura, His Royal Highness Alhaji Umar Faruk, CON, at his palace, where she conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s goodwill message to the Emir and the Daura Emirate Council. She reiterated the President’s unwavering commitment to spreading development across all parts of the country through people-focused projects.

In his welcome address, the Emir of Daura expressed gratitude to the President for appointing Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, describing her as a “round peg in a round hole.” He praised the Renewed Hope Cultural Project and pledged the Emirate’s support towards its implementation.

Responding, Hon. Abiola Abdulkareem, Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister on Subnational Development and Project Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Cultural Project, emphasized the inclusive nature of the initiative. He noted that the project is strategically designed to ensure no one is left behind in the Federal Government’s cultural revitalization agenda.

“This initiative is about taking development to the grassroots. We want creatives in rural communities to truly feel the presence—and the purse—of the government through tangible interventions that support their craft, heritage, and livelihoods,” he stated.

The Minister also visited key cultural heritage landmarks, including Fadar Daurama, Kusugu Well, and the Museum of the historic Teachers Training College, Katsina. She assured that the Federal Government would collaborate with the State Government to upgrade and preserve these heritage assets.

With the enthusiastic support of the Katsina State Government and the Daura Emirate Council, the Renewed Hope Cultural Project is poised to ignite a renaissance in Nigeria’s cultural and tourism sectors, unlocking socio-economic development through the preservation and promotion of the nation’s rich heritage.

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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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