WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025 launches in Abuja to reposition domestic tourism as a key engine of Nigeria’s inclusive economic growth and sustainable development
WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025 is set to launch in the Federal Capital Territory as a strategic initiative aimed at repositioning domestic tourism for inclusive economic growth in Nigeria.
Organised by the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy (FMACTCE) and WelcomeToNigeria Ltd, the two-day event will run from July 23 to 24, bringing together public and private stakeholders at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.
The initiative was formally set in motion by Dr Mukhtar Muhammad, the Permanent Secretary of the FMACTCE, who inaugurated an inter-ministerial committee in Abuja on Wednesday.
Committee members were drawn from various ministries, including the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, among others.
According to Muhammad, Nigeria’s rich tourism assets remain largely untapped due to a lack of strategic investment and weak collaboration between stakeholders.
He noted that the expo presents a critical platform to unify efforts across sectors and unlock the vast economic potential of the tourism industry.
“As I keep saying, Nigeria is sitting on a goldmine that we have not yet explored, and that is tourism,” Muhammad said. “It can take us to a level where it will be one of the greatest contributors to Nigeria’s GDP.”
The WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025 carries the theme “National Agenda on Tourism Partnership, Infrastructural Development, Institutional Linkages, Growth and Sustainable Development.” It is positioned not merely as a showcase, but as a national call to action.
Mr Isa Sago, President of WelcomeToNigeria Ltd and the National Coordinator of the project, described the event as a unifying call to recognise the transformative power of tourism.
He stressed that the time had come for Nigeria to embrace tourism not only as entertainment, but as a key driver of education, empowerment, and prosperity.
“This pivotal two-day Expo will convene stakeholders from across federal and state ministries, tourism boards, international partners and community leaders,” Sago said. “It is more than an event, it is a national call to action.”
Mr Sunday Bisong, Overseeing Director of the Department of Domestic Tourism Promotion at FMACTCE, reinforced the importance of the initiative, describing tourism as a catalyst for commerce, infrastructure, cultural preservation, job creation and national unity.
He added that the inter-ministerial committee would play a central role in steering coordination and representation across sectors.
“As we inaugurate this committee, let us remember that we are not merely preparing for an event,” Bisong stated. “We are laying the groundwork for a new chapter in domestic tourism growth.”
The WelcomeToNigeria Expo 2025 promises to spotlight Nigeria’s cultural richness, drive public and private investment, and initiate long-term frameworks for a thriving tourism economy.
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