Frank Nchita Ogbuewu, Nigeria’s former Minister of Culture and Tourism and one-time Ambassador to Greece, says Nigeria’s tourism sector can match oil in revenue generation and surpass it in job creation if given focused policy, investment and promotion.
Ogbuewu made the comments while receiving Wilson Uche Ugwu, Vice President (Southeast) of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), and other regional tourism stakeholders during a courtesy visit in Abakaliki. He urged authorities and private actors to treat tourism as a strategic economic sector rather than a sideline.
“Tourism is not just about beautiful sites. It is about packaging, passion and consistent promotion,” Ogbuewu said. “If treated as a side business, it will remain so. But if given the seriousness it deserves, it can rival oil in revenue and surpass it in job creation.”
Stakeholders at the meeting outlined immediate steps to unlock the sector’s potential, including improved infrastructure, targeted marketing, skills training, and stronger public-private collaboration. They highlighted cultural festivals, historic sites, culinary tourism and traditional crafts in Southeast Nigeria as ready assets that can be scaled for domestic and international visitors.
Wilson Uche Ugwu said the FTAN and the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN) will push partnerships with government, investors and local communities ahead of the 2025 World Tourism Day to showcase the region’s offerings. “The Southeast is rich in culture, history and scenery, we only need the right investments and policy certainty to turn that advantage into jobs and growth,” Ugwu added.
Ogbuewu called for consistent policy support, improved data collection on tourism flows and incentives to attract private investment. He urged authorities to prioritise tourism infrastructure and to integrate tourism development into broader economic planning to maximize impact on employment and local incomes.
