Creative Industry

Tourism, a Tool to Tackle Unemployment, Curb Insecurity – Kangiwa

Published

5 years ago

September 23, 2021

Joel Ajayi
The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa has posited that if properly explored, adequately harnessed and well managed, the Nigerian Travel Tourism and Hospitality industry has the potential to tackle unemployment and curb the menace of insecurity bedeviling the country.

Kangiwa who stated this when he received Abimbola Ogunlusi, Managing Director/CEO of QMDCI Hospitality and Tourism Institute on a courtesy visit at the NIHOTOUR headquarters in Abuja said the tourism industry is a very vast and versatile industry that cuts across several skills and trades that can offer job to millions of unemployed youths and stop them been ready tools in the hands of men of the underworld who use them to perpetuate acts of destruction and acrimony in the land.

He said Nigeria is blessed with abundant tourism resources waiting to be tapped and utilized for the socio-economic good and benefits of the people, noting it is about time Nigerians realize the enormous economic benefits inherent in the tourism industry with the view to keying into it for job creation and poverty alleviation.

The Director General promised to partner and collaborate with relevant stakeholders in both public and private sectors, individuals and organizations such as the QMDCI Hospitality and Tourism Institute in the efforts to impact skills and knowledge based professional competence to youths in the promotion of the Travel Tourism and Hospitality trades as a career for self-employment and self-reliance.

Earlier in her remarks, Ogunlusi stated that her visit on the Director General was to solicit for the Institute’s support, cooperation and collaboration in the effort to take skill acquisition training to a substantial number of youths across the country, saying that her Institute is planning to host a National Conference on Hospitality and Tourism Industry to examine operational practices with the view to identifying areas of deficiencies in the industry for both practitioners viz-a-viz employer-employee relationship.

Ogunlusi expressed her sincere delight with the warm reception accorded her by the Director General, noting that it is sign of the establishment of a long lasting positive and mutually beneficial relationship between the two Institutes and hope to learn and gain more from NIHOTOUR’s wealth of experience as the apex public sector training Institute in Travel-Tourism and Hospitality industry of the counyry.

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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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