Creative Industry

Nigeria and Saint Lucia Sign Historic MOU to Boost Tourism and Creative Industries

Published

1 year ago

July 4, 2025

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria and Saint Lucia have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to foster robust partnerships in tourism, the Orange Economy, and investment in the creative industries.

The agreement was formally signed on Wednesday July 2, 2025, during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s official visit to the Caribbean nation.

The partnership aims to leverage Nigeria’s globally celebrated creative industries, including Nollywood, Afrobeats, fashion, and storytelling, alongside Saint Lucia’s world-class tourism and community-based tourism models. The agreement promotes bilateral participation in cultural festivals, exchange programs, fashion collaborations, and museum development initiatives.

The MOU will focus on co-development of creative economy programs, youth-centered exchanges, and strengthening of value chains for fashion, textiles, and artisanal industries. Plans are underway for joint participation in major cultural festivals, including Saint Lucia’s renowned Jazz Festival.

Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa described the occasion as the dawn of a new era in Africa-Caribbean relations.
She emphasized that the MOU offers a strategic framework to leverage complementary strengths.

“Nigeria has mastered the art of creative industry and culture, from Nollywood to music to storytelling. Saint Lucia, on the other hand, has perfected the tourism model. This collaboration allows us to exchange expertise and co-develop our capacities in both sectors. This partnership can generate immense value for both our countries, but more importantly, it can inspire the global Black community,”Musawa stated.

Saint Lucia’s Minister for Tourism, Culture, and the Creative Industries, Dr. Ernest Hilaire, described the agreement as a formal reconnection of peoples separated by history but united by heritage.

“This agreement is about formally re-establishing those ancestral links.
From music and dance to fashion and sports, Nigeria has been an inspiration. We have enjoyed Nigerian talent at our Jazz Festival in recent years, and this MOU gives us the opportunity to deepen that relationship.”

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy reaffirms its commitment to fostering strategic alliances that celebrate shared heritage, promote people-to-people connections, and unlock new opportunities for cultural and economic growth across the Global South.

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Creative Industry

NTDA, LEXLUC Sign MoU to Unlock Nigeria’s Domestic Tourism Potential

Published

16 hours ago

October 23, 2026

The Gleamer

Cyril Ogar

The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LEXLUC Global Services and Tours Ltd. to promote domestic tourism, cultural heritage and destination awareness across Nigeria.

The agreement establishes a framework for implementing and expanding the Meet My Town, Know My State tourism initiative, which aims to encourage Nigerians to explore destinations within the country, learn about their cultural heritage and support greater community participation in tourism.

Speaking at the signing, Chief Executive Officer of LEXLUC Global Services and Tours Ltd., Mr Oluwole Ajayi, said the initiative was developed to help Nigeria harness its tourism potential, attract investment and create more opportunities within the sector.

“Tourism is number one employer worldwide. Whether we like it or not, we have to key into it and make sure it becomes the number one employer in Nigeria, too,” Ajayi said.

He also referenced plans for a proposed West African Jollof Rice Championship and Tourism Festival, which he said could complement the initiative’s broader objectives. The proposed event is expected to form part of future tourism activities, subject to the necessary planning and approvals.

Ajayi expressed confidence that the collaboration with NTDA would help advance the initiative and attract investors to Nigeria’s tourism industry.

Director-General of NTDA, Mr Ola Awakan, said the partnership alignes with the authority’s mandate to promote and develop tourism, noting that collaboration with the private sector was important to the sector’s growth.

“It’s a laudable project. We are going to give you national and institutional backing. You are also helping us achieve our mandate, and we are helping you to bring your idea to fruition. So, it is a win-win situation. All of this is in the interest of Nigeria,” Awakan said.

He commended Ajayi for sustaining the initiative and reaffirmed NTDA’s commitment to supporting its objectives within the authority’s mandate.

The Meet My Town, Know My State initiative is designed to raise awareness of Nigeria’s destinations, promote cultural heritage and encourage domestic travel. Its activities may include organised tours, tourism education, awareness campaigns, events and stakeholder engagements across the country.

Under the MoU, LEXLUC will coordinate and implement approved activities, develop tourism packages, mobilise sponsorship and partnerships, and report on progress. NTDA will provide relevant tourism information, institutional coordination, policy guidance and support for stakeholder engagement, subject to its mandate and applicable approval processes.

The signing was coordinated by Head of Legal Services at NTDA, Olufunke Soleye, and Head of Legal at LEXLUC, Mary Oluwatoyin Noibi-Edoze. Director of the Marketing and Promotions Department at NTDA, Mr Olufemi Akinyele, was also present alongside staff members of the department.

The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between the two organisations to expand awareness of Nigeria’s tourism offerings and encourage greater participation in domestic tourism.

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