Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to promoting Nigeria’s economic, cultural and tourism potential to the global community through a comprehensive national compendium documenting opportunities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Minister gave the assurance while receiving a delegation from the Nigerian Press Council, led by its Executive Secretary, Dr. Dili Ezughah, during a courtesy visit at his office in Abuja.
The aim of the visit was to briefed the Minister on preparations for the official launch of the publication scheduled for June 17, 2026, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
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Changing Negative Perception
Speaking during the meeting, Idris described the initiative as a strategic national project aimed at changing negative perceptions about Nigeria and projecting the country’s vast investment and tourism opportunities.
“This project is important because it highlights the enormous economic and tourism potential of our country at a time when some people focus only on negative narratives about Nigeria. What you are doing is helping to showcase the rich opportunities that abound across the 36 states and the FCT,” he said.
He noted that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in the areas of economic diversification, tourism development, investment promotion and expansion of the non-oil sector.
“We are not just known for oil; we are known for our rich culture, our tourism assets, and the immense opportunities spread across this country. President Tinubu understands the importance of culture and tourism in national development, which is why this administration has continued to give the sector renewed attention and focus,” Idris noted.
The Minister further commended the collaboration between the Nigerian Press Council, the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, and other stakeholders involved in the project.
Investors and International Community
According to him, the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to partnership-driven national development and credible information dissemination to investors and the international community.
“The President is opening up the economic base of Nigeria beyond oil, and the increasing international interest in our non-oil sector is a clear indication that the Renewed Hope Agenda is yielding positive results.
This kind of documentation is essential because it provides investors and the international community with credible information about Nigeria’s economic strengths and opportunities,” he said.
Idris also assured the delegation of the full support of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation towards the successful hosting of the launch event, while appreciating Vice President Kashim Shettima for providing institutional backing for the initiative.
“The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation is fully ready to support this national project because it will help reposition Nigeria positively before the global community.
We also appreciate the personal interest of the Vice President in ensuring that this initiative succeeds as a truly national undertaking,” the Minister said.
Promoting Nigeria Positively
The Executive Secretary, NPC, Dr. Dili Ezughah explained that the project was conceived after consultations among government institutions aimed at promoting Nigeria positively to the international community.
“This project was inspired by the need to synergise efforts across government institutions to project Nigeria positively, and we are pleased that the Vice President has endorsed it as a national initiative.
We have made substantial progress and are now at the final stage ahead of the official launch,” he said.
Strategic Reference
He said that the publication would serve as a strategic reference document for investors, diplomatic missions, development partners, chambers of commerce and Nigerians in the diaspora by providing detailed economic and tourism information on every state of the federation.
Also speaking, the Lead Consultant for the project, Tajudeen Toyin-Oke, said the compendium contains comprehensive profiles of all the states and the FCT, including investment opportunities, tourism assets, mineral resources, population data, infrastructure and business incentives.
“It is designed to become a global reference document for anyone seeking credible information about Nigeria,” he noted.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, Dr. Ola Awakan, described the initiative as a major step toward promoting Nigeria’s tourism and cultural heritage globally.
“Nigeria is a microcosm of stories with enormous tourism potential, and this project will help change the negative narratives about our country while showcasing our strengths to the world. It aligns perfectly with the mandate of the NTDA and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu,” Awakan said.
The delegation further said that President Tinubu is expected to write the foreword to the publication, while Vice President Shettima will write the preface.
The launch is expected to attract governors, members of the diplomatic corps, investors, development partners and other critical stakeholders from across Nigeria and beyond.
