Creative Industry
NIHOTOUR Gastronomy Event, Panacea to Promoting Nigerian Cuisines For Export-FTAN
NIHOTOUR: The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Chief Samuel Alabi has applauded the observance of the annual World Sustainable Gastronomy Day by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) in the country as a sure way of promoting Nigerian array of exquisite cuisines for export to the global community.
Chief Alabi who stated this in an interview he granted Africa Travel Herald was a Special Guest and recipient of NIHOTOUR’s Fellowship Award at the just concluded 2022 World Sustainable Gastronomy Day hosted by the Institute in Abuja, noted that the event was unprecedented in the history of the industry, and in particular, the hospitality sector.
He said the food exhibition, couple with the skill acquisition programs embarked upon by NIHOTOUR across the country, is empowering the youths to export not only the skills they acquire, but the Nigerian cuisines in the form of establishing Nigerian Kitchen abroad.
The FTAN BOT Chairman, said he was amazed at the varieties of Nigerian dishes displayed at the exhibition booths of the six geo-political zones of the country packaged by NIHOTOUR, including the South West Zone where he came from, in his words; ‘I don’t know that we have varieties of food even from the South West that am from, I found out that there are cuisines that I have never seen before, I tasted them and they were wonderful.”
He concluded that the gastronomy day exercise was a worthwhile venture that government must support and promote it annually.
Speaking further to the Africa Travel Herald, he commended the foresight of the Director General of NIHOTOUR, Nura Sani Kangiwa, who, since inception as Chief Executive Officer of the Institute, came up with brilliant ideas and innovations that are putting the sector in remarkable limelight, adding that this is what you get when you put professionals in the right leadership position to head, because Kangiwa is a professional and active key player in the industry, saying ‘this is putting a round peg in a round hole’.
He said the remarkable successes and achievements of Nura Kangiwa as Director General of NIHOTOUR within the short period of his assumption has proved and made a case for the appointment of industry practitioners into key positions in the public sector, including the tourism and hospitality industry.
According to Chief Alabi, he said he was impressed with lots of things at the gastronomy day event, ‘The attendance of foreign embassies was very amazing.
The creative and ingenuity of the Mobile Kitchen was another awesome sight to behold; and above of all, the manner and way the Director General conducted himself, moving about his staff and guests to ensure prompt and orderliness with a degree of humility, noting that other CEOs would have sat bossily and watch things unfold just anyhow. ‘I must say am impressive and give kudos to NIHOTOUR to have made this happened
Creative Industry
CAFA Targets $500bn Fashion Economy At Canex Wknd 2026
Joel Ajayi
The Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA) will present its roadmap to grow Africa’s fashion economy from an estimated $30 billion to $500 billion at CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos.
Marking its first anniversary on November 5, CAFA will unveil a joint stand with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, formerly the National Arts Theatre, on November 5, 2026.
CAFA President, Aare (Prof.) Lai Labode, said the institution works with African governments to align sourcing, production, trade and intellectual property policies, ensuring African creativity generates greater value for African businesses and communities.
Nigeria became the first country to sign the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter on November 5, 2025, when the Honourable Minister Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa signed on behalf of the Federal Government.
Speaking ahead of the unveiling, Minister Musawa said: “Afroliganza seeks to build a structured, values-driven fashion economy rooted in African heritage, led by African institutions, and positioned for global impact.”
On employment potential, the minister emphasized that Investment in fashion will create millions of jobs, particularly for women and youth.
Registered in Rwanda, with an office in Kigali and a desk at the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, CAFA is also working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs towards African Union adoption of the Charter. Rwanda is progressing towards becoming its second participating country and the first in East Africa.
Its first year saw fifty nations gather at the Egbaliganza-Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta and a signed MoU with Türkiye’s ASRIAD.
CAFA’s programmes promote processing African raw materials into finished apparel locally. ‘Own What We Create’ addresses intellectual property protection, while the CAFA Certified Seal and CAFA Heritage Mark support standards and authenticity. African Global Fashion Houses are currently being established across international markets.
The African Global Fashion Games will debut in Nigeria in 2028, bringing designers together under national colours. Held every three years, the Games will alternate between African and international hosts, combining competition with investor meetings, deal signings and policy discussions. Its Instant Craft event gives competing nations identical materials and a fixed clock, placing skill at the centre of the contest.
CAFA is inviting creatives, fashion designers, artisans, diplomats, economists, investors and policymakers to its CANEX stand. Visitors can explore the roadmap, ask questions and identify opportunities to contribute through design, manufacturing, investment, research, trade and international partnerships. The stand will be open daily from November 5 to 8.
CAFA calls on the African Union to adopt the Charter, and governments to sign the Games Register and form national teams.
“Fashion has always told the world who Africa is. Now Africa will decide what fashion pays,” Aare Prof. Lai Labode said.
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