The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has called for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to transform Nigeria’s September-to-December festive period into a structured tourism season capable of creating jobs, supporting businesses and attracting international visitors.

Musawa made the call as stakeholders unveiled plans for Ember 2 Remember, an initiative aimed at bringing together Nigeria’s festivals, concerts, cultural celebrations, food, fashion, nightlife and destination experiences under a coordinated national tourism campaign.

The minister said Nigeria already possessed the cultural wealth and creative energy required to compete as a major tourism destination, but needed to package, promote and connect its experiences more effectively.

According to her, the country’s festive season should be viewed not merely as a period of entertainment but as an opportunity to generate wider economic activity across several sectors.

“When hotels fill up, restaurants, transport operators, tour guides, retailers and event businesses benefit. When festivals attract visitors, communities benefit,” Musawa said.

She added that properly organising and marketing the experiences could enable states to generate greater economic activity while strengthening Nigeria’s position in the global tourism market.

The Ember 2 Remember initiative, developed in partnership with MyCityApp Nigeria, will seek to connect events and tourism experiences across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through a National Digital Events and Experiences Calendar.

The calendar will be unveiled at the Ember 2 Remember National Stakeholders Conference, scheduled for September 14, 2026, at Eko Hotel, Lagos.

The digital platform is expected to provide a single gateway through which Nigerians, tourists and members of the diaspora can discover festivals, concerts, hotels, restaurants, cultural attractions and other experiences.

The Chief Executive Officer, Ifeoma Mbonu noted that the ambition goes beyond creating another events directory.

“Our ambition, therefore, is not merely to create another event calendar. We are building a national tourism infrastructure,” she explained.

They are inviting event organisers across the country to upload their programmes to the platform, to create a comprehensive picture of what Nigeria has to offer from September through December.

She said the economic benefits of the initiative could extend across aviation, hospitality, transportation, banking, telecommunications, retail and the creative industries.

“Every visitor who attends an event contributes to airlines, hotels, transport, restaurants, tourism, retail and local businesses,”

The September conference is expected to bring together government officials, state tourism authorities, financial institutions, airlines, hospitality operators, event producers, creatives, technology companies and the media to discuss how Nigeria can convert its cultural and tourism potential into measurable economic value.

Ifeoma Mbonu also stressed that Ember 2 Remember would complement rather than replace existing government cultural institutions, including the National Council for Arts and Culture, National Theatre, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, National Gallery of Art and museums.

The initiative has received support from strategic partners including MTN Nigeria and ProvidusBank.

For Nigerians in the diaspora, the organisers are seeking to broaden the traditional December homecoming by encouraging visitors to return earlier and explore destinations across the country.