Key points
• Federal Government approves the Sub-National Government Economic and Tourism Information Roundtable as an annual event.
• Vice-President Kashim Shettima says the initiative will strengthen investment promotion, economic planning and tourism development across states.
• National Compendium documenting economic and tourism profiles of the 36 states and the FCT unveiled in Abuja.
Main story
The Federal Government has endorsed the Sub-National Government Economic and Tourism Information Roundtable as an annual event, citing its strategic role in unlocking economic opportunities and promoting tourism potential across Nigeria’s states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Vice-President Kashim Shettima announced the endorsement on Wednesday during the Nigeria Sub-National Investment and Tourism Information Roundtable held in Abuja.
The event also featured the inauguration of a National Compendium titled, “Nigeria: Documenting the Economic and Tourism Profiles of 36 States and the FCT,” a comprehensive document designed to serve as a national resource for investment promotion, economic planning and tourism development.
Represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr Tope Fasua, Shettima described the compendium as a critical instrument that aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by positioning states as key drivers of national growth and development.
According to the Vice-President, Nigeria’s diversity remains one of its greatest economic and cultural strengths and should be leveraged to attract investment and stimulate productivity.
He stressed the need to move beyond identifying opportunities to developing structured investment pipelines capable of translating potential into measurable economic outcomes.
The issues
Nigeria’s states possess vast but largely underutilised economic and tourism assets, ranging from agriculture and solid minerals to cultural heritage sites, creative industries and emerging technology ecosystems.
However, limited visibility, inadequate documentation and insufficient investment promotion have often constrained efforts to attract both domestic and foreign investors.
Stakeholders believe that a comprehensive and regularly updated database of economic and tourism opportunities could enhance investor confidence, improve planning and accelerate regional economic development.
What’s being said
Shettima said the annualisation of the roundtable would help sustain momentum in promoting sub-national economies and attracting investment.
“Our diversity is our greatest economic and cultural asset. The task is plain. We must move from documentation to implementation, from potential to productivity, from scattered opportunities to structured investment pipelines,” he said.
He added that the initiative would strengthen the visibility of states, attract international capital, mobilise the Nigerian diaspora and contribute to a more prosperous and globally competitive Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the roundtable as a strategic platform for showcasing the country’s economic and tourism opportunities.
According to him, every state possesses unique advantages in sectors such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing, trade, technology, culture and tourism, which can be harnessed to drive economic growth and job creation.
He noted that the initiative aligns with the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation to promote Nigeria’s image, improve access to credible information and support national development.
The minister further stated that the programme complements the Federal Government’s efforts to promote Nigeria’s tourism potential, cultural heritage and investment attractiveness to the global community.
What’s next
With the roundtable now designated as an annual event, stakeholders are expected to deepen collaboration in documenting and promoting investment opportunities across the federation.
Government agencies, state governments and private sector players are also expected to leverage the newly launched compendium to attract investors, boost tourism and stimulate economic activities at the sub-national level.
Bottom line
The Federal Government’s endorsement of the Sub-National Government Economic and Tourism Information Roundtable as an annual event underscores a growing commitment to empowering states as engines of economic growth. By documenting and promoting local opportunities, the initiative aims to attract investment, enhance tourism development and support Nigeria’s broader economic transformation agenda.
