</em> <strong><em>L–R: Executive Director, Katsina State History and Culture Bureau, Dr Kabir Ali Masanawa; Commissioner for Arts and Culture, Ekiti State/Chairman, Forum of Commissioners, Prof. Rasaki Ojo-Bakare; Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, Mr Ola Awakan; Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa; Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Kano State, Hon. Aisha Lawan Saji; and Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Abia State, Hon. Matthew C. Ekweribe, at the finale of the National Hospitality and Tourism Stakeholders Forum in Abuja on Wednesday, 1 April 2026. PHOTO: ODEYEMI OLUWAROTIMI OLADIJI</em></strong>
Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Hannatu Musa Musawa has commended the National Hospitality and Tourism Stakeholders’ Forum, which concluded in Abuja on Wednesday.
Convened by Dr. Ola Awakani, Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), the forum gathered government officials, industry leaders, associations and partners to strengthen alignment, spur collaboration, and drive actionable steps to reposition tourism as an engine for diversification, investment and job creation.
Musawa praised the DG’s commitment and energy for producing a practical roadmap that links culture, entertainment and tourism to growth and employment. She said consistency, public-private partnership and annual follow-up will turn Nigeria’s creative assets into development gains.
“This forum will be an annual staple. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, we are deliberately repositioning tourism as a central pillar of economic diversification and national identity. Bringing previously fragmented sectors into one coordinated ecosystem unlocks synergies, drives efficiency, and positions Nigeria as a global cultural and tourism powerhouse,” she said.
Musawa added that the ministry will keep showcasing Nigerian and African culture while connecting private-sector players to market opportunities.
“The new travel-market platform gives stakeholders ownership and a framework to expand globally,” she noted.
Earlier, Dr. Awakani thanked operators for embracing the “out-of-the-ordinary” energy in the room.
“Tourism cannot move forward in isolation,” he said, pledging NTDA’s continued role as convener. He highlighted the partnership of government, hoteliers, creatives and tour promoters in co-creating a roadmap that ties culture and entertainment to jobs, with consistency and the annual forum sustaining momentum.
Held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Nigerian Tourism Together,”the forum aimed to forge a public–private alliance in support of the President’s diversification agenda.
Attendees included Dr. Kabir Ali Masanawa, Executive Director of the Katsina State History and Culture Bureau; Hajiya Aisha Lawan Saji Rano, Kano State Commissioner for Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy; Professor Rasaki Ojo Bakare, Nigeria’s first Professor of Dance, Choreography and Performing Aesthetics; and NTDA directors and staff.