Exploiting Nigeria’s culture and tourism sector can significantly help in addressing the challenges posed by lean resources and unemployment in the country, says Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture.
The minister put forwad this argument on Saturday at the third festival colloquium of Lagos at 50.
He said: “In this period of tough economic challenges, caused by the steep fall in global oil prices, Nigeria has no choice but to look for other viable means of earning needed resources for developmental purposes and to generate employment for its teeming youths,” Mohammed said.
“In this search for a new economic paradigm, tourism, arts and culture have been identified as the most viable sector of the economy to explore.
“Culture drives tourism, and both are good for creating jobs, reducing crime and diversifying the economy, three of the cardinal programs of the Buhari Administration.”
Lai also highlighted the importance of using culture and tourism to boost the economy and get Nigeria out of the current economic recession.
He noted that the potentials of the sector in boosting the country’s economy had been attested to by many international agencies, including the British Council’s 2013 report – “Mapping of Nigerian Creative Industries”.
The report, according to Mohammed, revealed that creative businesses surveyed in the mapping exercise contributed N2,547,300,490.26 during the referenced period, with 61% of the total Gross Value Added (GVA) derived from the film industry alone.
Fashion and music contributed 26% and 13% respectively.
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