Creative Industry
Ooni of Ife Backs Awakan as NTDA, OJAJA Seal MoU to Transform Nigeria’s Tourism Sector
Cyril Ogar
The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II has thrown his royal weight behind the Director-General of Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr. Ola Awakan.
In a landmark move poised to elevate Nigeria’s tourism landscape, the NTDA and OJAJA Pan Africa Ltd, led by its Chairman, His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at formalising the federal agency’s mandate with the private-sector expertise of OJAJA.
The partnership aims to harness Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, cuisine and hospitality to drive economic growth, positioning tourism as a cornerstone of national development.
During the signing ceremony, NTDA’s Director General praised the Ooni as an “epitome of culture, a father, and a staunch supporter of the youth,” acknowledging him as a true royal figure.
Speaking further, the DG added that the partnership is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda of diversification from oil and amplification of the PPP initiative.
“This partnership promises transformative benefits for Nigeria’s tourism industry, including economic diversification beyond oil dependency in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.” Awakan stated.
“By utilising our storytelling capabilities, we can generate sustainable revenue and attract investments, create jobs, and boost foreign exchange inflows.” He added.
In response, the Ooni eulogised the DG’s professionalism and dedication, noting his pivotal role in initiatives like the Royal African Youth leadership Forum.
The Ooni encouraged continued promotion of youth interests in tourism, highlighting the DG’s nationwide experience and commitment to Nigeria’s diversity.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for appointing a youthful leader to head the NTDA, remarking that he himself embodies youthful energy in cultural stewardship.
The event featured symbolic gestures underscoring the partnership’s focus with the DG presenting the Ooni souvenirs, including a plaque of Naija Flavour, as emblems to propel Nigeria’s tourism and cultural diplomacy.
OJAJA, a Pan-African platform specializing in cultural branding and investment facilitation, brings private capital and diaspora networks to the table, creating a synergistic public-private framework for sustainable tourism advancement.
Looking forward, the NTDA-OJAJA alliance sets a blueprint for tourism-led prosperity, promising lasting impacts on employment, revenue and global visibility.
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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