The Minister for Tourism, Lola Ade-John, said that tourism should take precedence over the oil and gas industry as Nigeria’s primary revenue generator. Ade-John recently shared her vision for the country’s tourism industry in an interview with ARISE NEWSNIGHT.
The Minister said, “For Nigeria, and also in the Presidency, it’s been very clear that tourism should be the number one revenue generator for Nigeria. It should surpass the oil and gas industry, the revenue from the oil and gas industry.”
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She further highlighted the potential for community-based tourism to thrive, expressing confidence in the ability of every community in Nigeria to accommodate, entertain, and share its unique stories with visitors. The minister also outlined plans to improve the visa experience for inbound tourists.
She said, “The Minister of Interior has pledged that they will be able to get visas online. And the visa on arrival is a different story, but if it is available online, then it makes life easier.”
She also mentioned the possibility of allowing African tourists with an African visa to visit Nigeria, similar to the Schengen visa system in Europe.
To address tourism-related challenges, Ade-John stressed that plans are underway to revive the Presidential Tourism Council, which will include ministers from various sectors such as aviation, health, defense, works, and immigration. She also highlighted collaborative efforts with various states across Nigeria to develop and promote tourism destinations.
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“Because of the President’s Renewed Hope agenda, almost every state has them going big on tourism,” she said. She mentioned several ongoing projects, including Ikogosi, the Obudu mountain resort, Yankari in Bauchi, Yobe for Desert safari, Osun Osogbo, and Badagry in Lagos Stat.
Ade-John emphasized that Nigeria is not only blessed with beautiful sights but also beautiful people. She enthused that Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and natural wonders must be showcased to the world.
