Creative Industry

We Need Stakeholders’ Support to Sanitize Tourism, Hospitality Sector-Kangiwa

Published

6 years ago

September 18, 2020

The newly appointed, Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Alhaji Nura Kangiwa has revealed that Tourism and Hospitality Sector need the cooperation and support of all stakeholders in the country to pace up with global standards.

At a meeting with newsmen after a facility tour of the institute’s Lagos campus, Kangiwa, said he will focus on digitalizing the institute by ensuring old equipment and materials were replaced with modern ones to pace up with global best practice.

According to him, the Plans are underway to train best destination managers, employ good marketing plan and more”, he said, adding that NIHOTOUR would be upscaling its training to produce efficient hospitality professionals.

”I was impressed with all I saw during the facility tour of the Lagos institute particularly with the vibrant and friendly staff I saw who I observed are hungry for action in working with me.

“I believe in teamwork and I have seen that team spirit in them, they gave me courage and confidence that we will satisfy the yearnings of the tourism sector in Nigeria.

”We intend to digitalize NIHOTOUR, our modus of Operandi will be in accordance with international best practices, to achieve this, we have to change everything so almost all the facilities will be changed.”

He added that: “the only way to tackle the unemployment problem in the country was to harness the creative industry properly which happened to constitute 70 percent of employment opportunities.”

Kangiwa said that the Institute also planned to partner with the National Assembly for the provision of sufficient funds to help the youths and women in the creative industry to be productive and independent.

He noted that the National Assembly will also be educated on the quality of NIHOTOUR certification as unemployed youths could secure jobs overseas with the certification.

“NIHOTOUR was rated one of the best top ten authorized training centers in Africa in August 2012 by the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) and in 2015 we became top in Africa and the world so with our certificate, unemployed youths can secure jobs abroad.

“Henceforth, we shall be engaging the best brains for NIHOTOUR training, If we do not get NIHOTOUR right, we cannot get the Nigerian tourism right,” he said.

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Creative Industry

CAFA Targets $500bn Fashion Economy At Canex Wknd 2026

Published

1 week 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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