Creative Industry

NIHOTOUR Pledges Partnership With NATOP On Training For Members

Published

5 years ago

February 3, 2021

Joel Ajayi

The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura S Kangiwa has stressed the importance of training and knowledge-based skills as the bedrock for professional conduct of any given trade to achieve adequate, efficient and proper service delivery.

Alhaji Kangiwa who stated this when officials of the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) led by its President, Hajiya Bilqiz Abdul paid him a courtesy visit in his Abuja office and headquarters of the Institute said NIHOTOUR has in line with its mandate, been calling on all operators and practitioners in the Hospitality, Travel and Tourism industry to avail themselves of the training services offered by the Institute in order to improve and upgrade their skills for better, greater and safer service delivery in the sector.

He said the visit by NATOP officials to seek for partnership and collaboration for training of its members couldn’t have come at a better time than now when the Institute is been repositioned for better quality service delivery through proper and adequate training and re-training for all professionals and operators in the industry.

The Director General said it has been the long desire of NIHOTOUR as custodians and operators of the Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Sector Skill Council of the country to have all operators and practitioners in the industry comply with the mandatory provision of knowledge-based skill acquisition via training for better service delivery in line with global best practices, noting that it might soon be impossible for quack and ‘all comers’ into the industry to practice without due certification.

Earlier in her remarks, Hajiya Bilqiz said the courtesy visit was meant to seek support of the Institute in training members of the Association and continuously update them with professional skills and competence to operate optimally as professional tour operators.

Hajiya Bilqiz said as President of NATOP, she is greatly disturbed by the presence of unqualified practitioners in the sector, noting that it is not only killing the industry but bringing the good name of the profession into disrepute.

The NATOP President who narrated how unskilled operators in the industry have caused havoc, losses and dented image for tour operations in recent times, pleaded with the Director General to avail members of her Association the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills through the numerous training programmes offered by NIHOTOUR to check poor service delivery and halt the unwholesome practices of quacks and unqualified persons who see the industry as a sector for ‘all comers’.

The President who came in company of the Association’s Secretary General, Mr. Olaniran Owolabi Shaheed, appealed for a brief training session for members of the Association at their next meeting holding in Abuja to acquaint them of the relevance of training in the proper conduct and discharge of tour operation activities which was gladly granted by the Director General of NIHOTOUR as a mark for the start of training activities of members of NATOP by the Institute in due time to come.

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Creative Industry

Musawa Highlights Art and Culture as Drivers of Public Sector Excellence at Legislative Mentorship Session

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., has emphasized the importance of integrating art and culture into public-sector excellence in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the SA Media & Publicity, Office of the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Phd.

Musawa made this known while addressing trainees at the 4th Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), held at the National Institute For Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abuja on Thursday.

Themed ‘Building the next generation of Public Sector Leaders’, Minister Musawa highlighted art and culture as essential tools for national cohesion and identity, economic development and job creation, innovation and civic engagement, sustainable development, and projecting Nigeria’s soft power and global identity.

She noted that Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage is a unifying force that binds different ethnicities and elaborated on how Art and Culture is key to public-sector excellence in Nigeria.

“First, embracing and promoting art and culture helps to forge national cohesion and shared identity among Nigeria’s diverse populations. Integrating culture into public policy and governance transforms the creative and cultural sectors into engines of economic development, job creation and diversification. Cultural industries including crafts, music, film, design, heritage tourism can generate livelihoods, attract investment, expand exports, and reduce overreliance on a narrow set of economic activities.

“A society that values creativity and cultural expression tends to produce more resourceful citizens, fosters cross-cultural dialogue, and encourages public servants to be more adaptive, empathetic, and culturally aware while prioritizing culture and creative economy in public policy through frameworks, institutions, and infrastructure, demonstrates long-term vision and commitment to sustainable development,” Musawa said.

The Minister called for supportive policies, enabling legislation, and sustained commitment to fulfill this vision, including laws that protect intellectual property, incentivize investment in creative infrastructure, and integrate arts and culture into education and community development.

“Embedding art and culture at the heart of governance and public-sector planning is not a luxury, it is a necessity. It builds unity, drives economic growth, fosters innovation, strengthens institutions, and ensures that development respects and reflects the soul of the nation,” she emphasized.

Musawa thanked the founder of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his inspiring vision and unwavering commitment to cultivating Nigeria’s future public-service leaders.

Other speakers at the Legislative Mentorship Initiative include the Director General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization Aisha Augie, Nigerian photo-journalist and documentary photographer Bayo Omoboriowo, Amb. Dapo Oyewole, Secretary-General Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures amongst others.

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