Abuja, Nigeria, June 25, 2025 – The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy (FMACTCE), Dr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammad, MFR, mni, today, June 25, 2025, inaugurated The Inter-Ministerial Working Committee on WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025.
The inauguration took place at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, with representative members of partner ministries, departments, agencies, and the private sector in attendance. The permanent secretary tasked members to take the assignment seriously and work as a team.
While extending his heartfelt appreciation to the Honourable Minister, Bar. Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq, and the Permanent Secretary for their exceptional leadership and administrative support in facilitating the formation and operationalization of the Committee, the National Coordinator of Welcome2Nigeria Project and President, WelcometoNigeria Ltd, Mr. Isa Yusuf Sago, appreciated the leadership of the ministry for its commitment in facilitating and deepening the prospect for wider participation and buy-in from MDAs and the organized private sector.
The inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee marked a pivotal moment in the preparation for WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025 – a flagship initiative designed to showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, creative economy, tourism assets, and investment potential to both domestic and international audiences.
During the inauguration, the Permanent Secretary emphasized the importance of cross-sectoral commitment as necessary in projecting Nigeria’s image and maximizing the socio-economic impact of the Expo. Dr. Muhammad said the expo’s objectives and goals are deeply commendable as they promote the policy direction of the ministry and support the sustainable economic development plan for the country.
According to him, “The expo is geared towards national development through culture, tourism, and creative economy by building linkages with other critical sectors that foster infrastructure development of domestic tourism in the country.
He further stated that, “to actualise the WelcometoNigeria Expo 2025, all hands must be on deck, as the event requires prompt action, exchange of quality ideas, careful planning, and team effort. In his remark, he encouraged members to reach out to prospective participants across all boards – especially state government, as the tourism potential of the country is domiciled in the rural areas. And that they are the key beneficiaries of the expo in terms of direct impact in the area of employment generation, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development.
While reiterating the support of the ministry for WelcometoNigeria Expo 2025, he also said that the leadership of the ministry, led by Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, has laid a foundation that will – now and in the future – galvanize the growth process in the arts, culture, tourism, and the creative economy subsectors in Nigeria. “The achievement already recorded by the ministry is a testament to the impact of the Renewed Hope Agenda ofMr.r President and government,” according to him.
Dr. Muhammad hammered on the importance of straightening institutions of tourism the way WelcometoNigeria Expo is doing – to drive domestic tourism development and reposition Nigeria as a destination. He said such action would reinforce the strength and productivity in the sector. He urged all relevant MDAs and the private sector to plug in, support the event, and make meaningful intellectual contributions. He also encouraged them to take the opportunity it offers to increase their visibility, network, engage, and share business and investment ideas.
According to him, “Nigeria’s tourism experience is diverse and unique, and our offerings have to be properly packaged to make serious meaning to the global travelers and tourists – because tourism is connected to everything – but first, we must pay attention to infrastructure development to make the Nigerian experience meaningful.”
He emphasized the need for Nigerians to be proud of what they have because the country’s potential is pristine and in abundance, loaded with intrinsic values, which makes them unique.
In addition, Muhammad said that Nigeria’s cultural endowments have high-end values and are embodied with originality, and at all times should be handled with clear intentions that not only communicate richness and beauty but also speak truth and facts to attract more tourists and sustain revisits.
In his introductory remark, the Overseeing Assistant Director of the Department of Domestic Tourism Promotion, Mr. Bisong Sunday Mkpeje, while seeking the Permanent Secretary’s permission to introduce the meeting, thanked him and the Minister for their approval and support for the expo. He expressed delight at the importance of the inauguration “as a pivotal moment.”
Mkpeje said that the Inter-Ministerial Committee serves as the engine room for the coordination of the event, deepening of collaboration, and innovation to ensure the expo is standard. He said it is also a complete representation of all relevant MDAs and that such inclusivity will boost wider participation across the country.
“The inauguration lays the groundwork for a new chapter in domestic tourism growth. We are creating a platform that will drive state and local government investment, spotlight our cultural diversity, stimulate SME participation, and open up new corridors of prosperity through tourism value chains.”
The Overseeing Deputy Director of the Cultural Industries Department, Rev. NUB Anama, thanked the Minister and the Permanent Secretary for their leadership role and guidance in redefining the entire art, culture, tourism, and creative space and establishing new frontiers of projects – breaking new ground of opportunities that are all-inclusive. Rev. Anama praised the initiative but, however, maintained that teamwork and commitment from all members are key to achieving the goals of the expo and that no excuses would be entertained if we have to achieve the heavy task ahead.
In the same vein, the National Coordinator of the Welcome2Nigeria Project and President of Welcome2Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Isa Yusuf Sago, expressed his profound gratitude to the Honorable Minister and the Permanent Secretary for their deep foresight and intellectual disposition that spotlight the attendant socio-economic benefit of the expo to the country. He said the theme of the expo was carefully crafted, bearing in mind the challenges confronting the sector at present, as the expo gives all stakeholders and experts the opportunity to contribute to the development of domestic tourism in Nigeria.
With the theme “National Agenda on Tourism Partnership, Infrastructural Development, Institutional Linkage, Growth, and Sustainable Development,” Sago said that the theme’s aptness succinctly captures the very essence of what the expo seeks to achieve – collaboration, integration, and action.
Sago stressed the importance of tourism infrastructure as the backbone that powers the totality of the typical Nigerian experience, which the entire sector rests on. While emphasizing the power of institutional linkage as essential to the planning of the program, the Coordinator said that, “Without clear communication and collaboration between ministries, departments, agencies, sub-national governments, and the private sector, tourism will remain fragmented, underfunded, and underutilized.”
While representatives from partner ministries, departments, and agencies of government made meaningful contributions and remarks towards how best the committee can actualise the set-out goals of the expo, the Permanent Secretary noted all the remarks and tasked members to give the expo the necessary commitment it deserves.
The committee comprises representatives from key ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) of government and the private sector. The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority, and WelcometoNigeria Ltd. constitute the Secretariat charged with the responsibility of driving the operations of the Committee. Other members of the committee include representatives from Foreign Affairs, Transportation, Marine and Blue Economy, Interior, Information and National Orientation, Environment, Nigeria Customs Service, National Institute for Tourism and Hospitality, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, National Gallery of Arts, Nigeria Film Corporation, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria, and member associations. While the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy are yet to send their representatives, the committee was tasked to mobilise agencies and stakeholders in their sub-sectors to participate in the expo.
WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025 which is scheduled to be held from July 23 – 34, at the prestigious Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, is expected to attract wider local participation – from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory – and global attention, forge strategic partnerships, and unlock new opportunities for national growth and image repositioning for Nigeria.
Media and Communication Unit
WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025 Secretariat
