August 05, (THEWILL) — The Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, has inaugurated the Planning Committee for the forthcoming Tourism and Hospitality Summit 2025 during a brief but symbolic ceremony held at the Minister’s Conference Room, Federal Secretariat Phase II, Abuja, on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
Scheduled to take place from November 24 to 25, 2025, in Abuja, the summit is a joint initiative of the Ministry and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG). It is designed to reposition Nigeria as a globally competitive destination for tourism and hospitality and is expected to draw local and international attention to the sector’s potential.
In her remarks, the Honourable Minister underscored the economic relevance of the industry, describing tourism as a powerful vehicle for economic diversification, employment generation, cultural exchange, and foreign exchange earnings. She remarked that when efficiently harnessed, the tourism and hospitality sector could contribute significantly to Nigeria’s GDP and provide sustainable opportunities across various communities.
Barrister Musawa noted that the Committee comprises leading voices and practitioners from government, business, academia, and the development space. She stated that its composition reflects the Ministry’s resolve to promote an inclusive and multi-sectoral approach to national tourism development.
The Minister also outlined the Committee’s terms of reference, which include strategic planning of the summit, development of themes and content aligned with national and international trends, stakeholder engagement across all tiers of government and civil society, programme design including keynotes and exhibitions, resource mobilisation, publicity campaigns, and post-summit documentation.
Charging the committee to approach the assignment with creativity and commitment, the Minister assured them of the Ministry’s full backing, alongside that of NESG. She expressed appreciation to NESG for its consistent partnership and declared the committee officially inaugurated.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Dr Badaki Aliyu, President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), lauded the Ministry’s foresight in convening the summit and praised the inclusive nature of the committee. He affirmed the readiness of the organised private sector to play its part in ensuring the success of the initiative.
Mrs Dorathy, Director of the International Tourism Department, reiterated the Ministry’s confidence in the team, assuring that the committee would deliver a summit that meets national aspirations and international standards.
A representative of NESG also addressed the gathering, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to working with the Ministry and other stakeholders to deliver a strategic and impactful event.
The event concluded with the cutting of a ceremonial cake, celebrating both the inauguration and the recent FTAN Annual General Meeting, which brought in Dr Badaki Aliyu as President. The Permanent Secretary used the opportunity to congratulate the new FTAN leadership and pledged continued collaboration between the Ministry and the private sector in strengthening Nigeria’s tourism ecosystem.
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
