By Ado Salisu
The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, has unveiled the Federal Government’s plan to create more than four million jobs through the One-Government strategy in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education.
Musawa disclosed this on Monday while declaring open the 9th National Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo (NTTSUMMIT 2026) in Abuja.
She said the landmark collaboration between the Ministries of Tourism and Education is designed to overhaul Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system, with the potential to generate about 4.08 million jobs, comprising 2.58 million in the creative industry and 1.5 million in the tourism and hospitality sector.
The minister commended the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN), led by its National President, Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, for consistently bringing together stakeholders from the tourism, hospitality, transportation and travel sectors to strengthen collaboration and chart a common roadmap for industry growth.
According to her, the One-Government initiative seeks to align youth skills with the needs of the tourism and creative economy by developing industry-relevant training programmes and transitioning from generic vocational education to specialised trade pathways in creative media, fashion, leather works, live events and hospitality services.
Earlier, the National President of ITPN and Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Organising Committee, Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, welcomed participants and said the summit was focused on implementing presidential directives aimed at strengthening collaboration between tourism, transportation and education to address skills gaps through the successful implementation of the TVET programme.
He said the annual summit remains a platform for promoting synergy among critical sectors essential to Nigeria’s economic development.
Delivering goodwill messages, the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr. Olayiwola Awakan, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to sustainable tourism development through strategic partnerships with key stakeholders.
The President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Dr. Aliyu Badaki, called for urgent legislative reforms, including the review and re-enactment of the NTDA and NIHOTOUR Acts to eliminate regulatory bottlenecks affecting investment in the sector.
Also speaking, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Shehu Mohammed, represented by Assistant Corps Marshal Godwin Omiki, said the commission remained committed to ensuring safe and efficient mobility across the country.
He noted that road safety is not merely an enforcement responsibility but a critical enabler of national development, stressing that a safe transportation system is essential for the growth of tourism.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Kayode Opeifa, highlighted the importance of rail infrastructure in improving tourism mobility and called for greater investment in railway development and local engineering capacity.
In his goodwill message, the Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Mr. Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, represented by Assistant Controller-General Arogundade Kolawole, commended the organisers for sustaining the summit as a platform for advancing Nigeria’s tourism and transportation sectors.
He said safety remains the foundation of thriving tourism and transportation systems, noting that tourists are attracted to destinations where they feel secure, while efficient transportation depends on strong safety standards, effective emergency response and public confidence.
The National Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo, organised by the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN), brought together public and private sector stakeholders to explore strategies for integrating transportation and tourism as a catalyst for economic growth and national development.
