Government seeks to turn festive season into platform for jobs, investment and business opportunities
The Federal Government has unveiled a 100-Day Tourism Calendar aimed at bringing Nigeria’s festivals, concerts, cultural events and lifestyle experiences together on a single digital platform as part of efforts to unlock the country’s projected $100bn tourism and creative economy.
The initiative, powered by MyCityApp and MyLagosApp, was unveiled at the Ember2Remember National Stakeholders’ Conference in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The calendar focuses on the September-to-December festive season and is designed to connect visitors, Nigerians in the diaspora and local consumers with tourism, cultural and entertainment experiences across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, said the Federal Government wanted to move beyond viewing the festive period simply as a season of celebration.
According to her, the period could be deliberately organised and promoted to create jobs, attract investment and generate opportunities for businesses and local communities.
“This initiative is about moving beyond the traditional concept of a festive season. It is about deliberately organising, packaging, promoting, and monetising one of the most economically active periods in our national calendar.”
Tourism Value Chain Can Create Jobs
Musawa said tourism generates opportunities across several sectors, including aviation, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, retail, technology and the creative industries.
She noted that every visitor contributes to a wider economic chain involving hotels, restaurants, transport operators, artisans, retailers and local communities.
The minister urged state governments, event organisers, tourism operators, hospitality businesses and other stakeholders to upload activities scheduled between September and December onto the national calendar.
She said the platform would provide a central destination where Nigerians, members of the diaspora and international visitors could discover tourism and cultural experiences across the country.
“We want to create a single, credible, and compelling platform through which Nigerians, the diaspora, and international visitors can discover what is happening across Nigeria.”
Musawa also commended the Chief Executive Officer of MyCityApp, Ifeoma Chukwu, for driving the initiative and called for broader participation by states and private-sector operators.
‘Why Not Nigeria?’
Earlier, Chukwu said Nigeria could realistically build a $100bn tourism economy by deliberately packaging and monetising its cultural assets and visitor experiences.
She cited the contribution of tourism to major economies globally, arguing that Nigeria's target should be viewed as achievable.
“The question is not whether a $100 billion tourism economy is possible. It is: why not Nigeria?”
The initiative comes as the Federal Government seeks to diversify economic activity beyond oil by increasing the contribution of tourism, culture and the creative industries to national growth.
Nigeria has a large pool of cultural festivals, entertainment events, historical sites and creative enterprises, but the sector faces challenges including fragmented promotion, inadequate infrastructure, limited visitor data and weak coordination among tourism operators.
Digital Platform to Showcase Events Nationwide
The organisers said MyLagosApp and MyCityApp would distribute the events through a 360-degree media ecosystem targeting audiences in Nigeria and abroad.
The platform is expected to feature festivals, concerts, exhibitions, food experiences, cultural celebrations, fashion and sporting events, conferences and other major activities taking place during the period.
Stakeholders were encouraged to submit their events through the MyCityApp platform for inclusion in the national calendar.
Among those who attended the conference were the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka; Enugu State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ugochi Madueke; Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Obi Asika; Director-General of the National Gallery of Art, Ahmed Sodangi; Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, Olalekan Fadolapo; and MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola.
The Federal Government said the initiative was aimed at giving greater visibility to Nigeria’s tourism and cultural offerings while creating new opportunities for businesses, workers and communities.
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