Musawa, Keyamo, Tunji-Ojo, Oduwole, Fashola, Saraki, Others Emphasise Need for Collaboration to Expand Nigeria’s GDP

Charles Ajunwa

Experts and stakeholders in the tourism sector yesterday underscored the need for collaboration among federal and state government ministries and agencies in the effort to expand Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 

They said access to finance and infrastructural development were critical in attracting foreign direct investment and building a robust economy.

The views emerged yesterday at the inaugural National Tourism Summit held at Koko Beach Hotels and Resorts in Lagos.

Former Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, delivered the keynote address at the summit.

Fashola, a former Governor of Lagos State, called for collaboration between federal and sub-national governments, stating that there are 170 tourism assets in Nigeria that should be promoted globally.

He said tourism was “a local issue, not a federal government issue”, adding, however, that the federal government has a crucial role to play in supporting the tourism sector.

Fashola emphasised the need for visa on arrival to promote inbound tourism. He said as Minister of Power he had ensured that Koko community was connected to power nine years ago, a move he said helped in the growth of the hospitality business in the coastline beaches of Lagos State.

He expressed delight at the forum, which brought together stakeholders at Koko Beach.  Fashola stated, “I think that the message that will come out of here is that Nigerians in both private and public sector are very deliberate and intentional about driving the opportunities that already exist in the tourism industry. The creatives started without any deliberate design. The hospitality industry is already heading that way.

“This time government and private sector should be leading justly. The boat has already set sail, as I said, but it can do with another wind in the sail by all of you who have authority for how we manage visitors into our borders, visa issues, our own deliberate courtesy, receiving visitors with a smile on our faces, never saying a bad word, showing our best foot forward and putting it forward at all times. Those are things of intention.”

The former minister added, “We have schools of hospitality and tourism. These are the things that the local authorities now, state and local governments, should be collaborating to create a new workforce of people, particularly skilled to discharge the tourism. If you want to take money from me as a tourist, you have to smile, you have to be nice. This is a big first step and I’m sure that there will be many other steps.”

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, in her welcome address, said Nigeria’s diversity “speaks to her landscape”, adding, “Nigeria is a phenomenal. We want to open the potential in tourism and add value.”

She said her ministry wanted to “use tourism to bring the world to Nigeria”, and boost the economy, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The minister highlighted efforts by the federal government to strengthen the tourism value chain.

“I’m very comfortable and elated that this first National Tourism Summit is taking place here at Koko Beach Hotels and Resorts,” Musawa said.

She added, “Why is it a beach resort? Why it is very important is because Koko Beach is one of the destinations that we have identified that is really going to catalyse and open up the potential that abound within this tourism sector.

“We want, as a government, to come in to work with the private sector. President Bola Tinubu has a vision of diversifying, I often say, from the ordinary means of growth, which is oil.

“One of the areas that he has identified is not only the creative economy, but the tourism sector as well. Of course, joining the creative economy or the creative industry, the cultural industries and the tourism sector, because invariably that is where our value and our assets lie.

“When they talk about the assets and the content that we have as a nation, it’s not only in our music, in our gastronomy, in our fashion, but it’s also in our landscape. This is what we want to really leverage as an impact. So what we, as governments, need to do is, of course, come up with the right framework.”

The minister stated that government was poised to support the tourism industry with infrastructure and funding.

“And which is what we are doing as a ministry, coming up with the CEDF and the infrastructure company that has been approved recently in the Federal Executive Council to ensure that we give the sort of framework and support that is necessary to support the industry players,” she stated.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki said Musawa needed cooperation from her colleagues to make a success of the tourism sector.

Saraki said with Musawa in the saddle, “Nigeria will get it right in the area of tourism.”

Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said voiced support for the gathering, saying, “It’s good for us to know where we are, where we’re going, what needs to be done. And the most important thing is that it’s actually being driven by the players in the industry, and practitioners as well.”

Benson-Awoyinka stressed, “We’ve all come here and we have seen the potential. We’ve seen what Lagos can be like. We’ve seen that we can be more than a visa, more than a Cancun.

“We’re a tourist destination now. International events are now happening in Lagos. So tourism is where it’s finally supposed to be.”

Other personalities, who attended the tourism summit included Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; and Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who were represented.

There were also Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, who was represented, and Chairman and owner of Koko Beach Hotels and Resorts, Mr. Richard Shittu.