The Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr Olayiwola Awakan, has advocated the import of using film and storytelling channels to promote and boost Nigerian tourism on the global stage.
As part of this effort, Awakan has embarked on meaning engagements with key players across the creative industry.
To this end, he recently had engagements with the Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr Shaibu Husseini, filmmaker and music producer Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Dr Ali Nuhu.
Discussions focused on how film, music and other creative contents can be used to present a more authentic image of Nigeria and attract both local and international visitors.
“Storytelling is what we want to use to put a new face to tourism,” said Awakan.
“Nigeria is a microcosm of stories, and we need to tell them ourselves,” he added.
According to him, the new initiative would involve working with filmmakers, screenwriters and other creatives, while strengthening collaboration across institutions within the sector.
“There is no better way to bring people to a destination than through stories they can connect with,” he said.
JJC Skillz said he is open to supporting efforts to promote Nigeria through creative contents while Husseini highlighted the role of film in opening up Nigeria’s tourism potential.
“We will continue to encourage our filmmakers to tell our stories using our tourism locations. Tourism potential in Nigeria is enormous, and film provides a powerful platform to open up the sector to the world,” he said.
Nuhu on his part disclosed that the initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to explore the potential of film in promoting tourism.
“Nigeria has diverse locations and cultures that can be explored through film,” he said. “This kind of collaboration can help bring those stories to a wider audience,” he noted.
NTDA DG further said the ongoing engagements with the various stakeholders across the public and private sectors will strengthen the creative ecosystem and position Nigeria as an engaging and must-visit tourist destination.
