The federal government has signed an agreement to host the first Global

Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry in Lagos from November 14 to 17, 2022.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, signed the agreement yesterday in Madrid, Spain, with the Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili. He assured them that the country would put together a trailblasing event.

Mohammed described the signing of the agreement as the clearest indication yet of Nigeria’s commitment to hosting a successful conference officially entitled: ‘First UNWTO Global Conference on Linking Tourism, Culture and Creative Industries: Pathways to Recovery and Inclusive Development’.

The minister said the conference would be held at the National Theatre in Lagos, which is currently being renovated at a cost of $100 million under a partnership between the federal government and the Bankers’ Committee/Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The minister said the global conference would affirm Nigeria’s status as the hub of the creative industry in Africa, and help reposition the Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry as the engine of growth not just for Nigeria or Africa but indeed  the world.

He commended the UNWTO for coming up with the conference and also for giving Nigeria the hosting rights.