Federal Government To Establish Tourism, Cultural Economic Zones In Regions, FCT

The Federal Government has approved the establishment of Tourism and Cultural Economic Zones across the six geopolitical regions and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The proposed establishment were part of the renewed drive to unlock the potential of the nation’s creative and tourism sectors.

Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Musawa said the zones will serve as regional hubs for culture, creativity, and tourism, designed to harness the unique strengths of each state and position Nigeria as a major global destination.

“The Council today approved the establishment of Tourism and Cultural Economic Zones across the six geopolitical zones and the FCT. These zones will leverage the peculiar strengths of each region in areas of culture, creativity, and tourism,” she said.

According to the minister, the initiative will be implemented in partnership with state governments through Memoranda of Understanding, enabling each state to project its distinct cultural and tourism assets in alignment with the national vision.

She cited global examples such as Mexico’s Cancun and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula as models for building destination-based tourism clusters in Nigeria.

“We intend to brand and develop places like Obudu, Yankari, and Coco Beach as standalone tourism destinations under this initiative,” Musawa added.

The minister also announced that the Council adopted two major national tourism brands — Naija Season and Detty December — as flagship platforms to promote domestic and international tourism.

She explained that Naija Season, developed by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), encapsulates all major Nigerian festivals from January to December across the 36 states, while Detty December has become a globally recognized end-of-year cultural movement originating from Lagos.

“In line with this, the President has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Detty December to coordinate efforts among key ministries and agencies — including Aviation, Interior, and Power — to ensure Nigeria is positioned as a top destination for holiday tourism,” Musawa said.

She noted that the federal government will work closely with Lagos State and other subnational governments to provide infrastructure, security, and logistical support during the festive season, while encouraging private sector participation to grow the brand into a global tourism product.

The minister further revealed that FEC approved the reconstitution of the Presidential Council on Tourism Promotion and Investment, which will be chaired by President Tinubu and co-chaired by herself.

She added that the Council will drive inter-ministerial collaboration to build Nigeria’s positive global image through tourism, arts, and cultural diplomacy.

“This Council is a restructured version of the one first established in 2023. It will help us coordinate the interdependencies necessary for tourism growth and promote Nigeria’s image of peace, unity, and coexistence before the global community,” she said.

Musawa also highlighted the government’s support for a new Intellectual Property framework developed in collaboration with the Ministries of Industry, Trade and Investment, and Justice to protect creators and enable them to leverage their intellectual property as collateral for financing.

“Our industry is built on intellectual property. With this framework, Nigerian creatives will be able to use their IPs to access funding and attract private sector investment,” she said.

The minister described the FEC approvals as a major step toward transforming Nigeria’s creative and tourism industries into key drivers of economic diversification and global competitiveness under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.