The Federal Government has unveiled plans to drive tourism growth through technology and data, with the launch of a national Tourism App designed to connect travellers to opportunities across Nigeria and Africa.
The Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, disclosed this at the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos, urging stakeholders to embrace accurate data and innovation to unlock the sector’s economic potential.
Musawa said the tourism value chain can only be strengthened when stakeholders have access to reliable information and statistics.
“It’s only when you know about it that you can speak with power. So, I think the real energy here is to have the knowledge and the facts. Having top-notch statistics is very key,” she said.
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She urged operators, state governments and investors to key into the Tourism App initiative, which she described as a one-stop platform to discover attractions, experiences and tourism products in all states of the federation and beyond.
According to the Minister, the app will democratize access to tourism information and make it easier for both domestic and international travellers to explore Nigeria.
Musawa also called for deeper collaboration across Africa, noting that tourism has become the next frontier for economic expansion in the Global South.
“Let’s work as one, West Africa, of course Africa, and the world. The Global South is looking to us, and we are looking at tourism as the next frontier in terms of the economic expansion that we all need,” she said.
In a lighter moment at the 22-year-old travel fair, the Minister promoted Nigeria’s culinary brand, insisting that Nigerian jollof – particularly the smoky Lagos variant – remains the best on the continent, while revealing plans for a national “Unity Jollof” project.
She welcomed foreign delegates to Nigeria, describing the country as friendly, hospitable and rich in diverse experiences, and commended Akwaaba organizers for sustaining the travel market for 22 years.
