The government of Nigeria is planning to boost tourism in the country with carnivals.
The government intends to attract more tourists to the country between November and January with carnivals in the cities of Abuja and Calabar. As part of the plan, the nation is initially planning to launch a campsite on the outskirts of Abuja to host the carnival. The government has provided the campsite, and it is expected to come into operation in November.
The nation’s minister for Tourism and Culture, Edem Duke, said that it was essential to broaden Nigeria’s tourism base, and added that the government was prepared to explore new vistas to promote tourism in the nation. He added that the Abuja carnival package would be first of its kind in Africa and would offer attractions for the whole of November. The minister also said that the Carnival at Calabar would extend the festivities to December.
The comments from the minister came soon after Nigeria and South Africa agreed to accelerate the implementation of the ‘Cooperation in the field of Tourism Agreement’, signed in 2008 to deepen tourism relations between the countries. The agreement will cover interactions between tourism and travel trade officials. The nations will also exchange tourism research, statistics, and work together on human resource development.
Duke said that Nigeria needs ‘to continue to forge partnerships and working relationships between Nigeria and South Africa to further boost and grow our tourism sectors to provide employment opportunities, as well as contribute a significant percentage to the economies of our dear nations. Both Nigeria and South Africa have seen a tremendous partnership and significant engagements in areas such as telecommunications, media, tourism and aviation. This has led to more than $3bn in trade volume between South Africa and Nigeria. And there is further rich potential for both countries not only to maintain this mutual and symbiotic relationship, but to up the ante too.’
