For Folorunsho Coker, the Baba Eto of Yorubaland, a Nigerian businessman and politician, who was formerly the managing director of the number plate production authority of State of Lagos and commissioner for tourism, Arts & Culture and Special Adviser Central Business District in Lagos State.
Coker was the chief executive officer of Brown Restaurant and La Casa Group and he’s the chief marketer of the Nigerian destination.
As the Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Folorunsho Coker has been instrumental in transforming the Nigerian tourism sector. With his extensive experience in business and politics, Coker has introduced innovative initiatives to promote domestic tourism, showcase Nigerian culture, and position the country as an attractive destination for leisure and hospitality.
However, to fully harness Nigeria's tourism potential, there is a growing call for the establishment of a standalone Ministry of Tourism.
Under Coker's leadership, the NTDA launched "Tour Nigeria," a groundbreaking project that aims to promote domestic tourism within the country. This initiative encourages Nigerians to explore the diverse attractions of their own nation, fostering a sense of national pride and boosting local economies. By encouraging travel within Nigeria, Tour Nigeria showcases the country as a vibrant and culturally rich destination.
One of the key highlights of Coker's tenure has been the organization of the "Food Flavour" festival. The event celebrates Nigeria's culinary heritage, promoting local cuisines and traditions. Through food, visitors gain insight into Nigerian culture and experience the warmth and hospitality for which the nation is known. Food Flavour Festival has become a major tourist attraction, drawing both domestic and international visitors.
Nigeria possesses a wealth of artistic and cultural products with global appeal. From its music, such as Afrobeats, to its film industry, Nollywood, Nigeria's creative endeavours have gained international recognition. Coker recognizes the potential of these industries to attract tourists and enhance Nigeria's soft power on the global stage. By leveraging the popularity of Nigerian culture, both traditional and contemporary, the tourism sector can play a vital role in driving economic growth.
Despite the progress made under Coker's leadership, there are still structural limitations hindering the tourism sector's full potential. Currently placed under the Ministry of Information, tourism is confined to a limited department that focuses primarily on public communications and government propaganda. However, tourism requires its own ministry, equipped with the authority and resources to design and implement its goals and objectives. A standalone Ministry of Tourism would have the power to coordinate a "whole-of-government" approach, ensuring that all levels of government work together towards a shared vision.
With the stand-alone Ministry of Tourism, it would recognize the vast potential of the sector and prioritize its development for national growth. With a focus on domestic tourism, which forms the largest share of the market, the ministry would promote travel within Nigeria, leading to increased employment opportunities and economic growth. By nurturing a sustainable tourism and hospitality industry across the country, Nigeria can position itself as a premier destination for both international and domestic travelers.
Under Folorunsho Coker's leadership, the Nigerian tourism sector has witnessed significant advancements. By launching initiatives like Tour Nigeria and organizing events such as the Food Flavour festival, Coker has showcased Nigeria's rich culture and attracted both domestic and international tourists. However, to fully unlock Nigeria's tourism potential, the establishment of a standalone Ministry of Tourism is crucial. Such a ministry would provide the necessary support, authority, and resources to drive sustainable growth in the sector, benefiting the nation's economy and its people.
As an engine room for driving economic growth, the projected Ministry of Tourism has its job cut out for it to include: delivering on the “Tourism Policy 2023–2050” by creating a National Tourism Development Master Plan for the measurable and coordinated growth of the sector. This is in line with the “National Development Plan 2021–2025” that aligns with Nigeria Agenda 2050, which is the government long-term development aspiration.
Importantly, the Ministry will be charged with mapping the agenda for the creation of a functional Tourism Development Fund to drive the improvement of tourist sites, assets and marketing, while reviewing the fiscal frameworks affecting the growth of the industry across all tiers of government.
More so, it will design policies that leverage on the digital reach of Big Tech in Nigeria, for online visibility and mass awareness around the industry, as a way of promoting the best of Nigeria, locally and internationally.
The mandate of a new federal tourism ministry would necessitate financial engineering by creating private sector entry points to managing and enhancing the value of disused federal, state and local government physical assets across the country, which could be repurposed for destination and experiential benefits to tourists.
In addition, with the essence of the Ministry being the growing of the business of tourism, it would enable the creation of business incubators to drive community based tourism (CBT), whilst establishing Enterprise Development Centres for women and youth in tourism enterprises, to produce and export products in an inclusive manner, etc.
From the foregoing, it is quite apparent that what Nigeria needs is a growth structure to market the widening range of its potential as a destination of choice for many across the world, which is nothing short of a full-fledged Ministry of Tourism, rather than a delimited appendage under a platform for propaganda.
