By: Tijani Salako.

The Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy has inaugurated the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the forthcoming Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo, scheduled for November 2025, as the committee pledged ultimate readiness for the forthcoming event.

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mukhtar Yawale Muhammad, said the is in partnership with Afrocultour Nigeria Ltd. with the theme ‘Optimising Africa’s Comparative and Competitive Advantage for Accelerated Trade and Economic Growth’,

Hon. Musawa said this initiative will serve as a platform for policymakers, investors, and content creators across the continent. She noted that the expo is a strategic step toward repositioning Africa’s culture, tourism, and creative sectors as drivers of economic growth, regional integration, and global competitiveness.

The Minister, however, charged the committee to deliver a world-class event that showcases Africa’s rich heritage and creative potential, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, transparency, and professionalism in the planning process, assuring the ministry’s support for the committee throughout the planning and execution.

Meanwhile Mallam Denja Abdullahi in his remark as the Chairman of the LOC, pledged the committee’s readiness to deliver as expected, saying the event would unveil “Agenda 2030”, a continental framework aimed at increasing Africa’s contribution to global trade from 2 per cent to 10 per cent by the end of the decade through strategic investments in tourism and the creative economy.

Abdullahi appreciated the commitment of the Minister for driving several innovative, data-led reforms within the sector and explained that the LOC had already begun engaging key stakeholders across Africa, including government agencies, to ensure full participation at the Expo.

He said lined-up activities for the event include exhibitions, trade fairs, investment workshops, cultural displays, B2B meetings, and a peer review mechanism for African countries. “As a committee, we’re determined to deliver a measurable, scalable, and impactful event that will not only celebrate Africa’s creative power but also boost intra-African trade under the AfCFTA framework,” Abdullahi said.