Abia State was honoured in Abuja for its tourism initiatives as Hon. Chinasa represented Gov. Otti at NEER 2025. See how Abia is redefining cultural tourism.
All Information Newspaper | April 2025 | Abuja
Abia State has been spotlighted on the nationwide stage for its distinctive efforts in selling tourism and cultural improvement beneath the management of Governor Alex Otti. The popularity got here on the second version of the Nigeria Leisure and {Economic} Roundtable (NEER), held lately in Abuja.
Themed “Tradition and Tourism: Unlocking Prospects and Finding Pathways to Fast {Economic} Diversification”, the occasion introduced collectively key stakeholders from Nigeria’s leisure, cultural, and tourism industries. Among the many excessive factors of the event was the Award of Recognition for Distinctive Dedication to Selling Tourism and Cultural Growth, offered to Governor Alex Otti for his administration’s transformative efforts within the tourism sector.
Representing Governor Otti on the occasion was Hon. Iheanyi Frank Chinasa, the Nationwide Meeting Liaison Officer, who delivered a compelling and visionary handle on behalf of the state.
Talking in the course of the session, Hon. Chinasa emphasised that tradition and tourism, whereas typically missed, are central to Nigeria’s efforts to diversify its economic system. He described them as highly effective instruments for job creation, heritage preservation, social cohesion, and funding attraction.
“Tradition and tourism are extra than simply expressions of identification—they’re highly effective {economic} belongings. They gasoline job creation, appeal to funding, protect heritage, and promote social cohesion,” Hon. Chinasa mentioned.
He unveiled a lot of strategic initiatives being carried out by the Abia State Ministry of Arts, Tradition and Inventive Economic system, which embrace plans to collaborate with the Federal Authorities to revitalize key heritage websites such because the Nationwide Warfare Museum and the Ojukwu Bunker in Umuahia.
These websites, he famous, are set to be reworked into world-class tourism locations able to attracting each home and worldwide guests—thereby boosting the state’s economic system and creating new employment alternatives for teenagers.
Hon. Chinasa defined that these initiatives align with Governor Alex Otti’s broader imaginative and prescient of constructing a sturdy, inventive, and tourism-driven economic system in Abia State. Based on him, intentional investments, strategic partnerships, and enabling insurance policies are the inspiration of Abia’s cultural resurgence.
“Abia is not ready to be found; we’re actively positioning ourselves because the cultural and tourism capital of the Southeast,” Chinasa acknowledged.
Abia’s recognition on the NEER 2025 Roundtable additional underscores the numerous strides the state has made in {economic} repositioning. The roundtable itself served as a nationwide coverage assume tank the place authorities, non-public sector gamers, and cultural specialists shared actionable insights on the way to reposition Nigeria’s non-oil sectors for development.
Specialists on the occasion famous that globally, the tourism and cultural industries contribute billions to nationwide GDPs, and Nigeria, with its wealthy heritage and various traditions, is well-positioned to harness comparable potential.
Abia State, via deliberate coverage and dedication beneath Governor Otti, is now main by instance.
As Nigeria seeks sustainable options to grease, the management proven by states like Abia in embracing cultural and tourism improvement can be important to the nation’s long-term {economic} survival.
This nationwide recognition is one more milestone for Governor Otti’s administration, which continues to obtain commendation for its daring, people-focused improvement technique.
With initiatives aimed toward reviving cultural landmarks, selling heritage tourism, and unlocking youth creativity, Abia is quick rising as a reference level in Nigeria’s journey towards inclusive and diversified development.
