Creative Industry
Musawa Pays Condolence Visit to Qatar Embassy, Advocates Stronger Bilateral Cooperation
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has paid a condolence visit to the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Nigeria, expressing Nigeria’s sympathy over the passing of the Father Amir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, while seeking deeper diplomatic and cultural collaboration between both countries.
During the visit to the Qatari Embassy in Abuja, Musawa conveyed the condolences of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria to the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Qatari people.She described the late Father Amir as a visionary leader whose reign from 1995 to 2013 transformed Qatar into a globally respected nation.
“We are deeply saddened by this great loss. On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria, I extend our heartfelt condolences to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the government and the people of Qatar,” the minister said.
Musawa noted that Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani would be remembered for laying the foundation for modern Qatar and prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.
Beyond the condolence visit, the minister held discussions with the Qatari envoy on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the areas of culture, tourism and the creative economy.She said Nigeria was committed to expanding cultural tourism, promoting people-to-people exchanges and enhancing collaboration through festivals, exhibitions and other creative initiatives.
The minister also advocated improved air connectivity between Abuja and Doha and called for easier visa processes to facilitate the movement of cultural delegations, tourism operators and business travellers.
“The creative economy and tourism sector thrive on cultural exchange. We welcome partnerships that make it easier for Nigerians to engage with Qatar through festivals, exhibitions and tourism initiatives,” Musawa said.
Responding, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Nigeria, Yousef Mohammed Ahmed Al-Hail, appreciated the Federal Government for the condolence visit and reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to strengthening cultural relations with Nigeria.
He praised Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant creative industry, describing the country’s youthful talents as globally recognised.
According to the ambassador, Qatar is eager to collaborate with the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy to showcase Nigerian music, film, fashion and cultural heritage through exchange programmes in Doha.
He also assured that the embassy would engage relevant Qatari authorities on proposals aimed at enhancing cultural cooperation and easing travel procedures.
The visit, according to the ministry, reflects Nigeria’s commitment to deepening diplomatic, cultural and economic relations with Qatar in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Creative Industry
FG Backs MyCityApp Launch of 100-Day Tourism Calendar to Drive $100bn Economic Growth
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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