The Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, has renewed her call for strategic partnerships and sustainable investment in Nigeria’s rich cultural, tourism and creative assets, in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Nigeria Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition (NTIFE) in Abuja, organised by the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), the Honourable Minister said the administration is determined to reposition art, culture, tourism and the creative economy as central pillars of national development, job creation and inclusive growth.

She noted that President Tinubu’s foresight in creating the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy is a clear statement of intent that Nigeria is ready to fully harness its cultural wealth, creative talent and tourism potential as part of a new economic growth path that delivers prosperity to communities across the country.

According to her, under the Destination 2030 vision, the sector is projected to contribute up to 100 billion US dollars to Nigeria’s economy by 2030 and generate over two million jobs for the youth, reaffirming its strategic role in the Renewed Hope Agenda’s focus on diversification, innovation and shared opportunities.

Drawing from data by the National Bureau of Statistics, the Honourable Minister highlighted the strong performance of the cultural and creative industries in recent years, with a marked increase in employment and new startups. She explained that this trajectory confirms the sector’s readiness to absorb more capital, scale successful initiatives and unlock new value chains once the right infrastructure, policies and partnerships are in place.

As part of the Ministry’s efforts to build a modern, data driven ecosystem, she announced the imminent launch of the D 30 Data Dashboard, an open source national intelligence engine for Nigeria’s creative, cultural and tourism economy. The platform will aggregate reliable data from agencies, state tourism boards, platforms and private partners into a single trusted view to guide policy, inform investors and support evidence based decision making.

She described the D 30 Data Platform as a first of its kind initiative designed to give investors and stakeholders clarity on trends, opportunities and risks across the value chain, thereby deepening transparency and making it easier to structure bankable projects in line with global best practice.

The Honourable Minister also referenced the Destination 2030: Nigeria Everywhere brand, noting that even at its early stage it is already repositioning Nigeria’s image globally by amplifying the country’s cultural narrative, promoting its diverse tourism experiences and elevating the profile of its creative industries to attract visitors, partnerships and long term investment.

In her remarks, she further highlighted the establishment of the Creative and Tourism Infrastructure Corporation, CTICo, approved by the Federal Executive Council as a dedicated Special Purpose Vehicle to close infrastructure gaps across the sector. Operating through a public private partnership framework, CTICo will mobilise local and international capital to develop cultural districts, heritage facilities, tourism resorts, creative cities, film and music villages and other critical infrastructure that can unlock new destinations and experiences.

She explained that CTICo gives investors a structured pathway to participate in well curated, high impact projects that support economic growth, community development and national pride within the framework of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Musawa also drew attention to the Renewed Hope Cultural Project as another flagship initiative designed to preserve Nigeria’s cultural heritage, inspire creativity, create decent jobs and use art, culture and tourism as tools for social cohesion and economic empowerment.

Reaffirming the importance of collaboration with sub nationals, the Honourable Minister disclosed that the Ministry has already signed Memoranda of Understanding with states including Katsina, Ogun and Anambra, with additional agreements underway with Sokoto, Yobe, Bauchi and others. These partnerships, she said, will drive the development of tourism corridors, destination clusters and community based tourism projects that ensure local communities feel the direct impact of investments.

Addressing investors, stakeholders and partners at NTIFE 2025, she extended a clear invitation to see Nigeria as a reliable partner for long term, sustainable collaboration in art, culture, tourism and the creative economy.

She called on local and international investors to commit capital, expertise and technology to Nigeria’s heritage, creativity and natural assets by partnering with the Ministry and other stakeholders to develop world class cultural hubs, restore and upgrade heritage sites, build eco friendly resorts, establish vibrant creative cities and expand entertainment infrastructure that reflects Nigeria’s diversity and ingenuity.

The Honourable Minister stressed that strategic partnerships are essential for nurturing talent, promoting Nigerian heritage globally and creating real opportunities for millions of young people including artisans, performers, filmmakers, fashion entrepreneurs, digital creators and tourism professionals.

She encouraged operators and prospective investors to actively engage with the Ministry to understand ongoing reforms, available incentives and the pipeline of projects where they can add value, co create solutions and jointly unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s art, culture, tourism and creative economy.

Musawa expressed confidence that, with committed partners and the continued support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria can be transformed into a global destination hub where culture meets commerce, tradition meets innovation and the country’s diversity becomes a source of pride, unity and lasting prosperity for all.