The Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, has highlighted the negative effects of insecurity on Nigeria’s tourism sector.
She believes that tourism can become Nigeria’s main source of revenue, even surpassing oil and gas.
During her visit to Taraba State, Ade-John met with the state deputy governor, Aminu Alkali, to discuss how both the state and federal governments can work together to boost tourism. The minister pointed out that there are many untapped tourism opportunities in Taraba that can help empower local communities.
Ade-John stated, “The truth is that a lot of countries have security challenges. Our challenges are more than just security, as we also complain about petrol price hikes and power supply. These issues encourage insecurity, and it is real.” She added, “The government is addressing security issues, but it has already affected the tourism sector.”
She emphasized the importance of community-based tourism to restore national pride. “If we protect our own, we will not allow people to come and spoil our livelihood,” she said.
In her plans to improve tourism education, the minister announced, “We are working with other federal agencies, like the Ministry of Education, to teach history and tourism in primary schools so that students can become tour guides.”
Ade-John also called for a change in lifestyle and habits, saying, “We need to change the way we think. I do not want to sound petty, but maybe we need to reduce some of our social parties and the kind of food we eat.”
She acknowledged the challenges but reassured citizens that the government is empathetic and doing everything possible to address these issues. “It’s not intentional, but we have to face it,” she added.
The state commissioner for heritage and ecotourism, Joseph Nagombe, praised the minister’s efforts to revive the tourism sector. He noted, “For the first time after eight years, she resuscitated the tourism stakeholders meeting for state commissioners of tourism.”
Nagombe also highlighted the potential tourism sites in Taraba, including the Mambilla Plateau, Gashaka Gumti National Park, and Kashimbilla Dam. He mentioned that Governor Agbu Kefas is committed to improving tourism infrastructure and attracting investors to the state.
After the meeting, Ade-John and the Taraba government delegation, along with investors, visited various tourist sites to explore investment opportunities in the region.
