By Stella Williams
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its bilateral relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through expanded cooperation in arts, culture, tourism, and the creative economy.
This resolve was emphasized when the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, received the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Nigeria, His Excellency Salem Saeed Musabbeh Al Mahyoubi Al Shamsi, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting, which brought together top officials from both sides, was aimed at exploring new opportunities for collaboration and investment in sectors that drive economic diversification and cultural exchange.
Minister Musawa was joined by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Directors, and senior government officials, while Ambassador Al Shamsi led a high-level UAE delegation.
Discussions focused on strengthening cultural and tourism ties as vital tools for deepening international cooperation and promoting mutual economic growth.
Ambassador Al Shamsi expressed appreciation for the hospitality and collaboration extended by the Ministry, describing Nigeria as a strategic partner in advancing regional and global creative engagement.
He highlighted progress made in easing travel for Nigerian citizens, including visa facilitation, and announced plans for Emirates Airline to resume flights to Lagos and Abuja by early 2026.
The UAE envoy further noted the rapid increase in non-oil trade between the two nations, while inviting Minister Musawa and her team to Abu Dhabi and Dubai to discuss frameworks for practical cooperation and joint investments.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry underscored the importance of institutionalizing collaboration through structured engagements. He proposed an annual Nigeria–UAE Cultural and Tourism Exchange Festival that would alternate between both countries.
The festival, he said, would showcase cinema, music, fashion, arts, cuisine, and crafts from both nations, serving as a vibrant platform for cultural diplomacy and commercial exchange.
He also recommended the formation of technical working groups to develop formal agreements that define responsibilities, implementation timelines, and shared objectives between the two countries.
Minister Musawa reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to formalize this cooperation through Memoranda of Understanding and strategic frameworks for tourism, cultural exchange, and creative economy projects.
She praised Dubai and Abu Dhabi for their leadership in tourism development and creative infrastructure, stating that Nigeria could draw inspiration from their successful models to grow its creative sector.
The Minister also commended the appointment of Sheikha Mai as Secretary-General of UN Tourism, describing it as a landmark achievement for women, inclusivity, and the Global South. She disclosed plans to host Sheikha Mai in Nigeria for a high-level engagement that will include a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and tours of key cultural landmarks in Abuja.
Concluding the meeting, both parties expressed optimism that the strengthened Nigeria–UAE partnership would foster deeper cultural understanding, promote sustainable tourism, attract investment, and drive the creative economy in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
