Creative Industry

Skill Acquisition, Sure way to lift Nigerians Out of Poverty-Kangiwa

Published

4 years ago

August 4, 2021

The Director General of the National Institue for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa has expressed confidence in vocational skill acquisition of the Nigerian arts and crafts industry in the fight against unemployment and poverty in the country.

Nura Kangiwa who stated this while declaring open a Skill Acquisition and Empowerment of Women in Arts and Crafts training session organized by the North East Campus of the Institute in Bauchi, pointed out that the fight against poverty in Nigeria is everyones’ responsibility and NIHOTOUR as a skill and vocational training centre, will continue to play its part in impacting the Nigerian populace with knowledge based skills that offer them employment and financial earning opportunities in line with the Federal Government’s agenda to fight poverty in the country.

Represented by the Coordinator and Head of the North East Zonal Campus of the Institute, Mr. Samuel Tanko Ibrahim, the Director General called on participants of the skill acquisition training program to use the opportunity offered them to make a change in their lives for good, noting that such opportunities are rare to come by.

In his remarks at the occasion, Alhaji Ali Babayo, Permanent Secretary of Bauchi State Ministry of Culture and Tourism said with the current trend of global events, Nigerians should look inward to be economically and gainfully employed to fight personal and national financial downturn which the local Arts and Crafts industry readily provide.

Mr. Nelson Lucas, Coordinator of the Bauchi Zonal Office of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), noted that tourism is a multi faceted industry that offers ample opportunities for interested key players to get trained and be gainfully employed in various trades including arts and crafts, noting that the skill acquisition training program was timely and called on the trainees to make the best use of the knowledge they acquire at the end of the training session for a better livelihood.

In his goodwill message at the occasion, Malam Alamai Murtala, Head of Department of travel and Tourism of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi said knowledge based skill acquisition remains the surest way to excel in any given trade or profession, while he noted that participants at the skill acquisition training program should see themselves lucky, he called on them to make judicious use of the skills they will acquire for their socio-economic benefits.

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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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