The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday said that the country needed to diversify from being an oil-dependent nation to arts, culture and tourism.
Mohammed, who said this while addressing newsmen in Lagos, noted that the country would generate huge revenue through its investment in the creative industry and tourism.
“We must not neglect the creative industry: arts and culture, as it is the spring board that we need to reach the goldmine.
“We are sitting on it, it just needs to be fine-tuned to fetch us huge revenue.
“We cannot depend on the oil sector alone. We need to diversify the economy to arts, culture and tourism, “ Mohammed said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the need for the country to diversify from dependence on crude oil has become imperative following a dip in the prices of crude oil at the international market.
The minister also said that there was the need to revive the skills’ acquisition centres across the country where people could acquire better skills in arts, handicrafts and culture for them to become self- reliant.
“When we do that, the arts and crafts as well as the culture and tourism sector will begin to occupy its pride of place in the nation’s economic development.
“Tourism and culture is a multi-faceted industry and we can use it to earn a lot of revenue both at home and abroad, “ he said.
The minister said that the Federal Government would hold a national summit on arts and culture in Abuja later this month to chart a new course for its development.
“The summit will bring the relevant stakeholders together to brainstorm on the way forward on how arts, culture and tourism can contribute to national development, “ he said.
Mohammed said that the government would collaborate with companies to train those willing to become artists and craftsmen as part of its efforts to development the sector.
“There is also the need to train festival managers that can organise and package our national festivals and make them compete with festivals organised by other countries.
“We can also generate revenues from such national festivals by inviting foreign tourists to watch them,’’ he said. (NAN)
Economic development: Minister says FG to diversify from crude oil to culture, tourism
