Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has disclosed that the tourism sector contributed about N800 billion ($2.2 billion) to the Lagos Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2017.
The governor said with the infrastructure and resources being deployed in the sector, the figure is expected to double or triple in the next five years.
Ambode while speaking at the Lagos Tourism Summit with the theme “Destination Lagos: Towards A Sustainable Tourism-Driven Economy,” stated that the enormous resources being deployed in physical and social infrastructure across the state would begin to crystallize by December into mega structures that would support tourism and market the state as a smart destination.
He said the quest to transform the state to a tourism hub made the state to plead for the control of wasting away federal assets like the National Arts Theatre, National Museum and National Stadium and possibly declare the intention to have the Murtala Muhammed International Airport concessioned to the state.
He further noted that the tourism master plan is focused on six key sectors: culture and heritage; film, art and entertainment; business tourism; nature and adventure; medical and wellness and then beach and leisure.
Former President of Ghana, John Mahama suggested that partnership between Lagos and Accra is capable of making the cities of Lagos in Nigeria and Accra in Ghana choice destinations for tourism in West Africa.
Mahama pointed out that the partnership among members of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is important because the prosperity or instability of one will rub on other countries within the sub-region.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s desire to make culture and tourism a new oil resource for Nigeria, statting that the police had been directed to set up an anti-piracy unit in each state of the federation.
