Latest news with #FederalMinistryofArt
Zawya
01-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria, Emirates sign pact at 2025 Arabian travel market to boost tourism
In a landmark move to advance Nigeria's tourism sector, the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates on Wednesday at the 2025 Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. The collaboration, aimed at boosting inbound tourism to Nigeria, will enable Emirates to leverage its extensive global network of over 140 destinations to promote Nigeria's rich cultural heritage, diverse natural attractions, and vibrant cities to international audiences. The agreement signed underscores the Ministry's commitment to implementing the President's Destination 2030 Soft Power Initiative, a key pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at positioning Nigeria as a global hub for culture, heritage, creativity, and leisure travel. Speaking during the ceremony, the Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, expressed optimism about the future of Nigeria's tourism landscape, highlighting the partnership's potential to drive economic growth, create new opportunities for local communities, and reposition Nigeria as a leading tourism destination in Africa. 'This partnership with Emirates is a pivotal step towards achieving our tourism development objectives. It provides a powerful platform to tell Nigeria's story to the world — a nation of extraordinary culture, natural wonders, and unrivaled hospitality. 'By strengthening strategic international alliances, we are creating new opportunities for our local communities, driving economic growth, and repositioning Nigeria as the tourism heartbeat of Africa.' Commenting, the Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates, Adnan Kazim, emphasized the airline's commitment to promoting Nigeria's unique attractions and warm hospitality to international travelers. 'Since resuming operations to Lagos in October 2024, we have focused on deepening our strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in Nigeria's aviation, tourism, and trade sectors. 'This partnership with the Nigerian Tourism Ministry solidifies our commitment to driving international travelers to experience the country's fascinating history, its urban cities, the untapped, stunning natural world, and, of course, the warm hospitality that characterizes Nigerian culture.' The MoU outlined collaborative initiatives to attract visitors from key source markets, organize familiarization trips, offer incentives to trade partners and tour operators, and develop joint marketing programs. The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), which is the Ministry's tourism promotion agency, will spearhead these efforts as part of a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the tourism sector and diversify the economy. The MoU was formally signed by Adil Al Ghaith, Emirates' Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, and Abiola Abdulkareem, Special Assistant to the Minister on Sub-National Development and Tourism. In attendance were the Consul General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Dubai, UAE, Zayyanu Ibrahim; Faiz Imam, Chief Adviser to the Minister; Boye Balogun, Programme Director for the Destination 2030 Nigeria Everywhere Initiative; Nabil Sultan, Emirates' Executive Vice President of Passenger Sales and Country Management; Paulos Lagesse, the airline's Country Director for Nigeria; and other senior officials and stakeholders. The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy remains committed to fostering international collaborations, investing in tourism infrastructure, and elevating Nigeria's global profile as a preferred destination for culture, creativity, and leisure. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
27-01-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria-China trade volume exceeds $20bln in 2024 — Envoy
The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, has disclosed that the trade volume between Nigeria and China in 2024 exceeded $20 billion as he assured that China is eager to work with Nigeria to increase trade volume further, as they see significant potential in the country. Dunhai while disclosing this on Saturday in Abuja at the 2025 Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at the Chinese Cultural Centre, added that 'Nigeria is the country where China has the largest engineering contract, the second largest exporting market, and the third largest trade partner for China in Africa. According to him, '2024 was a successful year for the two countries, the climax of the success being the elevation of the two countries' bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership by President Bola Tinubu when he visited China. 2025 will be a lot better.' The ambassador noted that one of the key pillars of the Nigeria-China relationship is the very close people-to-people and cultural exchange, and the Chinese New Year celebration serves as a significant catalyst in promoting the exchange. 'Nigeria is a major African country that has world influence, and being a partner country of BRICS, China looks forward to working with it to implement the 10 Action Partnerships that will benefit citizens of the two countries. 'Happy Chinese New Year to all of the Chinese communities in Nigeria. I also wish the people of Nigeria a year filled with joy, peace, prosperity, and love. 'The year of the snake represents hard work, intelligence, happiness, so we hope that the year of the snake will bring peace and prosperity for Chinese and Nigerian people. 'Each year, we organize this Spring Festival Temple Fair, and this year, we invited over 2,000, both Nigerians and Chinese, to enjoy and celebrate together with us,' he said. Speaking on the occasion, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Mr. Oraeluno Raphael Obi, said the relationship between Nigeria and China is 'steeped in history,' marked by mutual respect and shared aspirations. 'Just as the snake sheds its skin to embrace new beginnings, our bilateral ties continue to evolve, reflecting our commitment to wisdom and transformation.' Obi noted that the two countries share a common trait, boasting rich and diverse cultures with deep historical roots that continue to influence their modern societies. According to him, despite their geographical distance, they find common ground in their shared values of family, community, and respect for elders, as reflected in the vibrant festivals of Nigeria and the colorful traditions of China. He added that the rich culinary delights, diverse artistic expressions, and cherished traditional practices of both two countries serve as vibrant testaments to the beauty of their cultures, cultivating a profound spirit of cross-cultural understanding and mutual appreciation. 'The goodwill that China has extended towards Nigeria in various sectors, particularly in culture and tourism, has been instrumental in enhancing our bilateral relationship. 'The collaborative efforts in cultural exchanges, art exhibitions, and tourism initiatives have not only enriched our societies but have also created avenues for economic growth and development. 'As we celebrate this new year, I would like to reaffirm our commitment to promoting and strengthening the bilateral cultural ties between Nigeria and China. 'The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy is dedicated to implementing policies and programmes that foster cultural exchange, support artistic collaborations and enhance Tourism opportunities. 'We envision a future where our cultural interactions flourish, creating a network of shared experiences that benefit both nations.' Also in his remarks, Mr. Xu Zhen Tao, the Deputy Director of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, said Nigeria and China have enjoyed a long-standing friendship since establishing diplomatic relations in the mid-20th century. He said: 'Under the Belt and Road Initiative, China-Nigeria cooperation not only deepens the bilateral relations, but creates more opportunities for realizing stability, prosperity and development across the African continent and even globally.' The Director of the Centre for Contemporary China-Africa Research in Nigeria, Prof. Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, noted that the event is part of cultural integration, where we learn from each other. This mutual understanding, he added, enables us to coexist peacefully, as we accept and appreciate the values and norms of other cultures. 'China is a great civilization with a history of more than 5,000 years, and it strives to celebrate its culture worldwide. 'Similarly, Nigeria is proud of its rich cultural heritage, but the key difference between Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
