Culture and Tourism

NIHOTOUR Trains Its Academic Staff Across The Country

Published

4 years ago

July 18, 2022

Academic staff in all the nine campuses of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) across the country have undergone a Train the Trainer program to enhance the quality of teaching within the framework of academic exercises of the Institute with a call from Nura Sani Kangiwa, Director General of the Institute on the staff to see the exercise as a mission to provide innovative world-class manpower that has the enrichment of quality professionals in the industry and in line with global best practices.

Nura Kangiwa who flagged off the exercise in Abuja through representation by Dr. Taiwo Famogbiyele, Director of Research and Development, noted that the essence of the establishment of NIHOTOUR 34 years ago was to provide skills proficiency, technical upgrading programs, and professional knowledge-based education in the hospitality and tourism industry in both the public and private sectors of the country, adding that to remain true and committed to the mandate of the Institute, academic staff must be constantly exposed to the best practices in the industry which the Train the Trainer exercise is meant to achieve.

In his remarks to flag off the exercise, Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, President of the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN), reiterated the cardinal objectives of ITPN which, as an awarding body for certified professionals in the hospitality and tourism industry in Nigeria, is to ensure training by competent professionals that produce qualified personnel to be certified by the Institute.

Shedding more light on the ongoing Train the Trainer exercise, Odusanwo said it’s in the category of Certified Tourism Professional (CTP) designed as an accredited competency-based professional credential recognized by hospitality, tourism, and allied occupations employers which is the pinnacle performance-based recognition program in the Nigerian hospitality and tourism industry awarded when employees demonstrate that they have mastered the required skills and met the standards of their profession in a practical job setting.

The program, which is administered as a collaborative national certificated award is being coordinated and superintended by NIHOTOUR as Coordinator of the Sector Skills Council, while the certificates are being awarded by the ITPN as the awarding body.

The two batches of trainees which included staff of Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Benin, and Enugu Campuses for Batch One; and staff of Kaduna, Makurdi, Bauchi, and Oshogbo Campuses for Batch Two, all underwent the training of the ‘Train the Trainer Program’ which was rounded up in two weeks.

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Creative Industry

CAFA Targets $500bn Fashion Economy At Canex Wknd 2026

Published

6 days ago

November 1, 2026

The Gleamer

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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