Today we look at what we have but we ignore. – Culture & Tourism
Tourism contributes only 1.2% to Nigeria’s GDP in 2022, official figure from Ministry of Art, Culture & Tourism. Compare: Morocco 2.7%, South Africa 3.0%, Egypt 4.3% (WTTC / NBS 2022), Kenya about 7% of GDP, rising to 9.3% in 2025 according to WTTC. Do they have more to show than us? No.
We have Zuma Rock here in Abuja ; you see it every day on Abuja-Kaduna road but no proper center, no story, no ticket system.
We have Yankari Game Reserve, Obudu Mountain Resort, Erin Ijesha Waterfalls, Ogbunike Caves, Idanre Hills, Whispering Palms.
We have Sukur Kingdom, UNESCO World Heritage since 1999, Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove, UNESCO since 2005, our only two UNESCO sites, while Ethiopia has 11, South Africa 10.
We have Durbar Festival, horsemen, heritage, tradition of the North.
We have Calabar Carnival, biggest street party in Africa.
We have Argungu Fishing, Eyo, New Yam festivals.
But no good access, bad roads, no standard hotels, fear of insecurity, zero promotion. Foreigners that would like to come to Yankari are afraid of being kidnapped. Our own Naija people that love adventure to Obudu cannot afford flights or good roads.
Meanwhile, Detty December showed us proof: In December 2024, Lagos State Government recorded $71.6 million directly from hospitality, tourism and entertainment alone — hotels $44m, short-lets $13m. When you add diaspora airfares, total impact was over $384.5 million spent on flights alone, plus N396bn local spending in 2025 season — proof that culture is an export that can generate forex regularly.
What Better Nigeria Means for Culture:
- Fix 10 Flagship Sites First: Good road, clean toilet, trained guides, light, internet, ticket system. One per zone + Abuja. Start with Zuma, Yankari, Obudu, Erin Ijesha, Whispering Palms, Idanre, Ogbunike, Sukur, Osun Grove, National Museum Lagos. Encourage investors to build standard hotels via PPP.
- Festival Economy: Put Durbar and Calabar Carnival on world calendar like Brazil Carnival. Visa on arrival for tourists, direct flights to Calabar, Kebbi, security guaranteed. Federal Government already approved National Tourism Brand Framework designating Detty December as a national tourism brand — we should scale it.
- Train Our Youth: 50,000 young people as tour guides, hospitality workers, content creators. Every LGA should document its own food, dance, proverb. Culture is not old school, it is big business.
Our culture is not shame, it is goldmine.
Your Task Today: Post one hidden cultural site, food, dance or festival from YOUR own State that many Nigerians don’t know.
Let us market Naija ourselves.
