30-Second Summary
- August 18, 2026 Paul Okah Nigerian News 0
- The Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Monday, announced a national, government-backed 100-day …
- Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hon.
Overview
August 18, 2026 Paul Okah Nigerian News 0 This development adds another layer to the ongoing conversation and highlights the dynamic nature of the story.
The Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Monday, announced a national, government-backed 100-day tourism calendar, christened “Ember to Remember” ( a programme scheduled to run from September to December, 2026), in partnership with MyCityApp Nigeria.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hon. Hannatu Musa Musawa, said the “Ember to Remember” National Stakeholders Conference has been fixed to take place on 14th September 2026 at Eko Hotel, Lagos.
She said the conference will bring together government, state tourism authorities, the private sector, financial institutions, airlines, hospitality leaders, event producers, creatives, technology companies, the media and other partners whose participation is critical to building a stronger tourism economy.
She said the Ember to Remember programme is designed to connect culture, tourism, entertainment, hospitality, transportation, commerce and the creative economy. It is about moving beyond simply having events to deliberately building an economy around those experiences.
She said: “Today marks the beginning of an important national conversation about how Nigeria presents itself, how we grow tourism as an economic sector, and how we deliberately position our country as a destination for Nigerians, the diaspora and the world.
“For many years, December has become the month most associated with Nigeria’s tourism, entertainment and homecoming experience. It is a beautiful season, and one we should continue to celebrate. But Nigeria is much bigger than December.
“Our culture does not begin in December. Our festivals do not begin in December. Our food, music, fashion, heritage, hospitality, natural attractions and creative energy do not suddenly appear at the end of the year. Nigeria is alive all year round.
“What has been missing is a deliberate structure that brings these experiences together, gives them visibility, and allows us to market them as one powerful national story. That is what Ember to Remember seeks to achieve.
“Ember to Remember is Nigeria’s coordinated September-to-December tourism season, a 100-day national programme designed to connect culture, tourism, entertainment, hospitality, transportation, commerce and the creative economy. It is about moving beyond simply having events to deliberately building an economy around those experiences.
“When people travel, hotels benefit. When hotels fill up, restaurants, transport operators, tour guides, retailers and event businesses benefit. When festivals attract visitors, communities benefit. And when we organise and market these experiences properly, states generate greater economic activity and Nigeria becomes more competitive as a tourism destination.
“This is why the work of our agencies remains important. From the National Council for Arts and Culture to the National Theatre, the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, the National Gallery of Art, our museums, archaeological institutions and cultural orientation agencies, every institution protects and promotes an important part of Nigeria’s story.
“Ember to Remember does not replace any of these efforts. It brings them together, amplifies them and gives them a larger national and international platform.”
She added: “At the heart of this initiative is MyCityApp Nigeria, our digital platform partner helping to build the infrastructure through which this national tourism ecosystem can be discovered and experienced. MyCityApp provides a single digital gateway through which Nigerians, visitors and members of our diaspora can discover events, festivals, destinations, hotels, restaurants, cultural experiences and other opportunities across the country.
“The objective is simple: one country, one national calendar, one trusted place to discover Nigeria. Through this partnership, events and tourism experiences from across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory can be brought together and distributed to audiences within Nigeria and internationally.
“Our ambition, therefore, is not merely to create another event calendar. We are building a national tourism infrastructure. And today’s press conference is the first public step in that journey.
“We are here today to formally announce the Ember to Remember National Stakeholders Conference, which will take place on 14th September 2026 at Eko Hotel, Lagos.
Key Details
“The conference will bring together government, state tourism authorities, the private sector, financial institutions, airlines, hospitality leaders, event producers, creatives, technology companies, the media and other partners whose participation is critical to building a stronger tourism economy.
“Most importantly, the National Ember to Remember Calendar will be officially unveiled at the conference on 14th September. It will represent a coordinated national collection of festivals, concerts, cultural celebrations, conferences, destinations and tourism experiences across Nigeria.
“Four months. One continuous story. One Nigeria. But government cannot build this alone. For this vision to succeed, it must be a genuine collaboration between government and industry.
“We expect many more organisations to join this coalition, because tourism touches virtually every part of our economy. Airlines move the visitors. Hotels accommodate them. Banks facilitate commerce. Telecommunications companies connect them. Technology helps them discover and navigate destinations. Transport operators move them within our cities. Event organisers create experiences. Restaurants feed them. Creatives tell the stories. And the media carries those stories to the world.
“That is why the Stakeholders Conference on 14th September is so important. It is not simply another gathering. It is a working national conversation around one question: how do we turn Nigeria’s enormous tourism and cultural potential into measurable economic value?”
Minister Musawa said the objective is for the conference to examine aviation, hospitality, transportation, digital infrastructure, investment, culture, events and the visitor experience.
She said: “We want commitments. We want collaboration. And we want to leave that room with a clearer understanding of what each sector will contribute towards making Ember to Remember successful.
“Our goal is to build a Nigerian tourism season that grows stronger every year. A season that creates jobs. A season that supports businesses. A season that encourages Nigerians to travel within Nigeria. A season that gives every state an opportunity to showcase what makes it special. And a season that gives the world another reason to experience Nigeria.
“This also extends to Nigerians in the diaspora. Our message to them is simple: do not wait until December to come home. Come home for Ember.
Come and experience Nigeria beyond one city and beyond one month. Visit our festivals. Discover our food. Explore our heritage. Support our businesses. Travel from Lagos to Calabar, from Abuja to Jos, from Enugu to Kano, from the cities to the communities where some of the most extraordinary Nigerian stories are waiting to be experienced.
“For the next 100 days, we need the media to help to tell a different story about Nigeria, one that moves beyond entertainment alone and begins to connect culture with commerce, tourism with investment, experiences with jobs, and national pride with economic opportunity. It is time for us to tell our own story deliberately. It is time to market Nigeria to the world with the confidence that our culture, our people and our experiences deserve.
“Today is the announcement. 14th September is the gathering. And on that day, we will unveil the National Calendar and begin a coordinated journey from September through December that we hope will become an annual Nigerian tradition.
“To our states, our agencies, our private-sector partners, our creatives, our tourism operators, our media and every Nigerian at home and abroad: there is a place for you in this movement.
“Because Ember to Remember is not simply about celebrating Nigeria. It is about positioning Nigeria. It is about turning our culture into opportunity, our experiences into economic activity, and our national story into something the world deliberately chooses to experience.”
MyCityApp Nigeria CEO speaks on opportunities This development adds another layer to the ongoing conversation and highlights the dynamic nature of the story.
Also speaking, the CEO of MyCityApp, Ifeoma Mbonu, said the platform has everything needed to navigate in Nigeria, including hotels, restaurants, transportation system, among others, adding that it is available in 36 states of the federation and the FCT.
“MyCityApp has everything to navigate in Nigeria to encourage tourism, including hotels, restaurants, taxis, etc. It’s according to the services available in each 36 states of the federation. It practically gives you everything. You get to know what’s happening in each state. You get to know government services, market places, etc.
The Bigger Picture
“Four months. One continuous story. One Nigeria. But government cannot build this alone. For this vision to succeed, it must be a genuine collaboration between government and industry.
“We expect many more organisations to join this coalition, because tourism touches virtually every part of our economy. Airlines move the visitors. Hotels accommodate them. Banks facilitate commerce. Telecommunications companies connect them. Technology helps them discover and navigate destinations. Transport operators move them within our cities. Event organisers create experiences. Restaurants feed them. Creatives tell the stories. And the media carries those stories to the world.
“That is why the Stakeholders Conference on 14th September is so important. It is not simply another gathering. It is a working national conversation around one question: how do we turn Nigeria’s enormous tourism and cultural potential into measurable economic value?”
Minister Musawa said the objective is for the conference to examine aviation, hospitality, transportation, digital infrastructure, investment, culture, events and the visitor experience.
She said: “We want commitments. We want collaboration. And we want to leave that room with a clearer understanding of what each sector will contribute towards making Ember to Remember successful.
“Our goal is to build a Nigerian tourism season that grows stronger every year. A season that creates jobs. A season that supports businesses. A season that encourages Nigerians to travel within Nigeria. A season that gives every state an opportunity to showcase what makes it special. And a season that gives the world another reason to experience Nigeria.
“This also extends to Nigerians in the diaspora. Our message to them is simple: do not wait until December to come home. Come home for Ember.
Come and experience Nigeria beyond one city and beyond one month. Visit our festivals. Discover our food. Explore our heritage. Support our businesses. Travel from Lagos to Calabar, from Abuja to Jos, from Enugu to Kano, from the cities to the communities where some of the most extraordinary Nigerian stories are waiting to be experienced.
“For the next 100 days, we need the media to help to tell a different story about Nigeria, one that moves beyond entertainment alone and begins to connect culture with commerce, tourism with investment, experiences with jobs, and national pride with economic opportunity. It is time for us to tell our own story deliberately. It is time to market Nigeria to the world with the confidence that our culture, our people and our experiences deserve.
“Today is the announcement. 14th September is the gathering. And on that day, we will unveil the National Calendar and begin a coordinated journey from September through December that we hope will become an annual Nigerian tradition.
“To our states, our agencies, our private-sector partners, our creatives, our tourism operators, our media and every Nigerian at home and abroad: there is a place for you in this movement.
“Because Ember to Remember is not simply about celebrating Nigeria. It is about positioning Nigeria. It is about turning our culture into opportunity, our experiences into economic activity, and our national story into something the world deliberately chooses to experience.”
MyCityApp Nigeria CEO speaks on opportunities This development adds another layer to the ongoing conversation and highlights the dynamic nature of the story.
Also speaking, the CEO of MyCityApp, Ifeoma Mbonu, said the platform has everything needed to navigate in Nigeria, including hotels, restaurants, transportation system, among others, adding that it is available in 36 states of the federation and the FCT.
“MyCityApp has everything to navigate in Nigeria to encourage tourism, including hotels, restaurants, taxis, etc. It’s according to the services available in each 36 states of the federation. It practically gives you everything. You get to know what’s happening in each state. You get to know government services, market places, etc.
“It can also tell you about an event happening in your city and even send you a reminder about the event. MTN will also have the MyCityApp on their store, so that everyone will have access to it. We want to push tourism to the rest of the world and tell our stories,” she said.
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🎬 Watch: Nigeria’s Tourism Push: FG Launches ‘Ember To Remember’ Cultural Season
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