By Joshua Olomu

‘WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025’, a national initiative conceived to reposition domestic tourism as a driver of inclusive economic development in Nigeria, is set to debut in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dr Mukhtar Muhammad, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy (FMACTCE), inaugurated an inter-ministerial committee for the event on Wednesday in Abuja.

The members of the inter-ministerial committee were drawn from the FMACTCE and its agencies, as well as officials of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

Others include the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and the Federal Ministry of Interior, among others.

According to the Permanent Secretary, the event scheduled to hold from July 23 to 24 is being organised by the FMACTCE and the WelcomeToNigeria Ltd in collaboration with other stakeholders in the tourism sector.

Muhammad said Nigeria’s rich tourism potential has remained underutilised for economic growth and national development because of inadequate investment in the sector and lack of synergy among stakeholders.

He said the expo was an opportunity for stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, including policymakers, investors and tourism experts to chart a common front for the growth of Nigeria’s domestic tourism industry.

“As I keep saying, Nigeria is sitting on a goldmine that we have not yet explored, and that is tourism; it can take us to a level where it will be one of the greatest contributors to Nigeria’s GDP.

“Everywhere you look around us, you see plenty of things that are tourism monuments, so we have to be strategic and that is what this expo is all about.

“There are tourism potentials all over this country and developing all of them at once is a very herculean task, so we need to be strategic and start with the ones that are low-hanging, and then we move on.

“With the WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025, I believe that we are just going to bring all of these things to the fore, and let’s see how we can develop them.

“I want to charge this committee to remain committed to the task ahead so we can have a seamless domestic tourism expo”, he said.

In his remarks, Mr Isa Sago, President, WelcomeToNigeria Ltd and National Coordinator WelcomeToNigeria Project, said the expo is with the theme, “National Agenda on Tourism Partnership, Infrastructural Development, Institutional Linkages, Growth and Sustainable Development.”

According to him, as Nigeria seeks to diversify its economic mainstay from oil and unlock new frontiers, tourism is a viable alternative.

“The WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025 is a rallying call for national participation; to awaken our collective consciousness to the power of tourism not only to entertain, but to educate, empower and economically uplift.

“This pivotal two-day Expo will convene stakeholders from across the public and private sectors, including federal and state ministries, tourism boards, international development partners, cultural and creative economy institutions, as well as community leaders.

“In this light, the expo scheduled to take place at the prestigious Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, is more than an event, it is a national call to action.

“It will provide the platform to craft these partnerships, with government leadership setting the tone and creating the enabling environment for innovation and investment,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Mr Sunday Bisong, Overseeing Director, Department of Domestic Tourism Promotion of the FMACTCE, said tourism was an enabler of commerce, infrastructure, culture preservation, job creation and national unity.

According to him, the inter-ministerial committee for the expo will serve as the engine room for coordination, collaboration and innovation, representation and inclusive participation across government MDAs and the private sector.

“As we inaugurate this committee, let us remember that we are not merely preparing for an event, we are laying the groundwork for a new chapter in domestic tourism growth.

“We are creating a platform that will drive state and local government investment, spotlight our cultural diversity, stimulate SMEs participation and open up new corridors of prosperity through tourism value chain,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi