FG unveils strategic interventions to boost creative economy, tourism

The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, on Wednesday, outlined key challenges and strategic interventions to enhance the growth and development of Nigeria’s creative economy and tourism sectors.

The Minister disclosed this in Abuja while declaring open the 2025 Ministerial and Sectoral Retreat, organised by the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy.

Musawa identified limited funding access, poor infrastructure, piracy issues, security concerns, and inadequate data on job creation estimates as major challenges hindering the full realisation of these sectors’ capabilities.

“To address these challenges, the Ministry will focus on infrastructure development, policy enhancement, skills development, tourism infrastructure, and data-driven decision-making.

“This includes investing in film studios, digital infrastructure, and global distribution networks, strengthening copyright and intellectual property protections and enforcement, establishing fashion incubation centres and creative hubs, enhancing heritage sites and museums, and leveraging primary and secondary data to guide job creation targets and policy interventions.”

The Minister emphasised the vast growth potential of Nigeria’s creative economy and tourism sectors, driven by increasing digital penetration and rising global demand for Nigerian content. She also highlighted the importance of leveraging the country’s rich cultural heritage and creative talents to establish itself as Africa’s creative and tourism powerhouse.

The Minister maintained that strategic repositioning of Nigeria’s arts, culture, tourism, and creative economy is imperative for the nation’s future prosperity.

She, therefore, urged all the stakeholders to be guided by data, inspired by Nigeria’s rich heritage, and motivated by the immense potential of these sectors for job creation, economic diversification, and global recognition.

In his remarks, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammad, explained that the retreat was a unique opportunity to reflect and set a strategic tone to reshape various sectors of the Ministry.

He stated that the objectives of the retreat were to align the ministry’s strategic direction with the Renewed Hope Agenda and national development priorities, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and develop a performance framework and implementation roadmap for the ministry.

“This retreat comes at a pivotal time. The world is changing rapidly, technologically, economically, and socially, and the creative sector must be willing and ready to adapt if we are to remain the driver of innovations, job creation, and a viable tool for soft power and cultural diplomacy.

“The core objective of this assembly is for constructive deliberations on repositioning our vibrant revenue-generating sectors as catalysts for exponential economic growth, producing an effective virtuous circle for increased job creation.

“To identify key legislative, institutional, and financial reforms needed for the sector’s transformation and to adopt a world-class vision, mission mandate that will guide the formation of the Ministry’s Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan 2026-2030,” the Permanent Secretary stated.

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