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By Tracy Moses
The Federal Government has signalled its willingness to partner with the Niger State Government to harness and develop the state’s tourism and cultural resources as part of broader efforts to stimulate economic growth and diversify Nigeria’s economy.
This assurance was given on Tuesday by the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, during a courtesy visit by a Niger State delegation led by the member representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Sa’idu Musa Abdullahi.
Speaking during the meeting, Abdullahi explained that the visit was aimed at exploring avenues of collaboration with the ministry to unlock Niger State’s vast tourism and cultural potential in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reform agenda. He was accompanied by the General Manager of the Niger State Tourism Corporation, Hajiya Zainab Mohammed.
The lawmaker described Bida as the global cultural hub of the Nupe people, noting that the town holds the unique status of Nigeria’s first UNESCO-designated Creative City for crafts and folk arts.
Despite this recognition, Abdullahi lamented that the state has yet to fully maximise its cultural endowments for tourism development, visibility and economic returns.
“Our culture is extremely rich, but it is not being showcased adequately. If people are to understand and appreciate us, our cultural identity must be made more visible,” he said.
He drew attention to the historic Bariki (Hawan Bariki) festival in Bida, an age-long cultural celebration that predates Nigeria’s independence, stressing the need to reposition it as a globally recognised cultural event capable of attracting tourists and investors.
“We want to transform the Bariki festival into an international cultural festival. With proper development, it can drive economic growth, create employment and improve the standard of living of our people,” Abdullahi stated.
He added that partnership with the Federal Ministry would help secure the commitment of the Niger State Government and ensure the continuity of the initiative beyond changes in political leadership.
In her response, Minister Musawa welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s resolve to work with states to unlock the nation’s tourism and cultural potential.
She described Niger State as strategically positioned due to its cultural wealth, closeness to the Federal Capital Territory and iconic tourist attractions such as Zuma Rock.
“Niger State has enormous and visible tourism assets, and the ministry is keen on collaborating with the state to develop and promote these opportunities,” she said.
The minister revealed that the ministry is currently implementing the Renewed Hope Cultural Renaissance Project, a flagship initiative under President Tinubu’s administration designed to strengthen federal-state collaboration in the culture and tourism sector.
According to her, Niger State is being considered for priority engagement under the project, with discussions underway to formalise the partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
“I believe Niger State is one of the states we can prioritise. Through the MoU, we can begin concrete work on projects such as Hawan Sallah, Hawan Bariki and other tourism-related initiatives,” Musawa noted.
She added that plans were already in motion to engage the Niger State Government for a possible visit and MoU signing in the coming weeks to officially commence the collaboration.