Travel/Tourism
Boosting Local & International Patronage for Indigenous Tourist Sites Through Entertainment Industry
By Olukayode Kolawole
The Nigerian entertainment industry is growing at an unstoppable rate. We unarguably have the best talents in the whole of Africa; limiting us to the shores of Nigeria is a disservice. In no time, our entertainers will start earning as much as – if not more than – their counterparts in developed countries. At least, that’s the dream and it’s work in progress.
In the nearest future, we will hear Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Genevieve Nnaji, Richard Mofe-Damijo and the likes gulp billions of nairas each year.
It’s funny how we don’t even get to know how much these entertainers earn every year from movies roles. We deserve to know; we’re the fans after all. Is it not all possible to have platforms created to provide us with reliable data, not speculations, on how much each artiste earns in a year? Well, that’s something I would like to write about some other time.
Nollywood and the music industry have grown together in the last couple of years like Siamese twins. We have recorded more movie exports than all the African countries put together. Our music acts have become the most-sought-after for collaborations here and there. Concerts in most African countries cannot be said to be enjoyed without a Nigerian act in attendance, more often than not as the headline artiste. Every single day, new acts are cropping up with ‘gbedu wey dey burst brain’ (irresistible beats) being produced by equally talented producers and lasers. The contributions of Nollywood and our music industry (how come no one has come up with a befitting nomenclature for the music industry?) to Nigeria’s GDP are indeed commendable. By 2019, the industry is estimated to have the potential to gross in US$8.1 billion. If only the government could provide additional support to tackle some of the recurring challenges in the sector, more revenue can be squeezed out and our economy will stand at a vantage position.
Worthy of note is our creative arts industry. The illustrators, artists, designers, cartoonists and so on. For the purpose of this article, I will refer to them as second-level entertainers. No intention to derogate or minimize their arts. In fact, I appreciate all kinds of creative works. These categories of professionals are also entertainers. They entertain us with their respective works of arts. And truly, Nigerians have an impeccable hunger for these creative outputs. It’s a bit shocking why these second-level entertainers do not get as much recognition as their counterparts. While I understand there is an urgent need to promote these kinds of arts, it’s also important for the players to carry one another along by way of lending helping hands and more importantly through word of mouth.
If our entertainment industry wields such an enviable influence and it’s at the heart of everything in Africa, then we need to saddle the players in the industry with weightier responsibilities. After all, to whom much is given, much is expected. Besides, the task of growing our economy is a collective responsibility because either directly or indirectly, we all milk from the economy. And at the moment, the cow has grown surprisingly lean, with barely enough milk. Whose fault is it that we’ve fed the cow with just grass? Whose fault is it that now that the pasture isn’t as green as it used to, the cow can’t even feed well, talk less of generating enough milk for others to consume? The cow shall regain its weight. Its nutrients shall return. There shall soon be milk for all, enough to go round. But only when it starts to consume a lot more than just grass. Thankfully, all hands are on deck to ensure this anticipated lot befalls the cow.
More than anyone else, our entertainers have a lot to do to attract more people to our tourist sites. These sites have enormous potentials to generate more revenue than the current statistics indicate. Our entertainers are like our mirrors to the world. Granted, they have done well in portraying to the entire world the diversity in our cultures, lifestyles and ethnicity. Through our films and music videos, the world now knows us well now. What about promoting our tourist sites through these means? How about taking deliberate measures to shoot some of their music videos at these sites? It’s not every time we should be portraying sex appeals, let’s incorporate the storyline to include the promotion of our numerous tourist sites. Let me put this in proper context: an average music video from any of our tier A artistes, such as Olamide, Davido, Yemi Alade, Omawunmi, Waje will get over a million YouTube views from across the world. Imagine if such a video was shot in any of these tourist sites! Over a million people worldwide will see and appreciate what we have and probably decide to visit!
Docudramas can also be very instrumental. Nollywood scripts should start accommodating the inclusion of these sites into its production. In addition to using the sites as set locations, storylines should also be developed within this line. No doubt, I understand the financial restraint this might pose. It is especially important for movie producers to seek for partnerships with government agencies. I do not think the Mbanefo-led Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) will refrain from supporting any work of art that seeks to promote tourism in Nigeria. I think our movie producers also need to get creative about sourcing for funds. There are a number of private organisations that are willing to put their money down to support such projects. Those who can’t commit to the project with funds can provide non-monetary supports such as manpower development (directing), free hotel rooms for the cast & crew, provision of state-of-the-art equipment and many more.
The role of government in making this recommendation witness the first sun cannot be over emphasized. An enabling environment has to be created and maintained. Access to funds, grants and loans needs to be improved. Government needs to facilitate or subsidize access to international trainings. I still believe there are a lot we can achieve with public-private partnerships. Much to our surprise, the abandoned stone might eventually become our cornerstone.
Olukayode Kolawole is the Head of PR & Marketing at Jumia Travel NG.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United States President Donald Trump has imposed a partial travel restriction on Nigeria, as part of a series of new actions, citing security concerns.
The latest travel restriction will affect new Nigerians hoping to travel to the US, as it cites security concerns and difficulties in vetting nationals.
The travel restrictions also affect citizens of other African as well as Black-majority Caribbean nations.
This development comes months after the American President threatened to invade the country over perceived persecution against Christians.
President Trump had already fully banned the entry of Somalis as well as citizens of Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Sudan, and Yemen.
The countries newly subject to partial restrictions, besides Nigeria, are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Angola, Senegal and Zambia have all been prominent US partners in Africa, with former president Joe Biden hailing the three for their commitment to democracy.
In the proclamation, the White House alleged high crime rates from some countries on the blacklist and problems with routine record-keeping for passports.
The White House acknowledged “significant progress” by one initially targeted country, Turkmenistan.
The Central Asian country’s nations will once again be able to secure US visas, but only as non-immigrants.
The US president, who has long campaigned to restrict immigration and has spoken in increasingly strident terms, moved to ban foreigners who “intend to threaten” Americans, the White House said.
He also wants to prevent foreigners in the United States who would “undermine or destabilize its culture, government, institutions or founding principles,” a White House proclamation said.
Other countries newly subjected to the full travel ban came from some of Africa’s poorest countries — Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone and South Sudan — as well as Laos in southeast Asia.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has commenced an investigation into pricing templates behind high ticket rates charge by some airlines on some domestic routes.
A statement issued by the Director of Corporate Affairs of the commission, Mr Ondaje Ijagwu, in Abuja said the investigation was to establish possible violations of the provisions of the law.
Mr Ijagwu said that concerns had been expressed widely in the past few days over what appeared to be coordinated manipulation or exploitation in the pricing of airline tickets by some airlines on certain routes, adding that the routes where concerns had been raised included the South-East and South-South, as the festive season began.
According to him, the ongoing investigation targets operators on the identified routes.
He said the commission would apply appropriate enforcement measures where evidence showed any violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).
Mr Ijagwu explained that Air Peace, had instituted a court action seeking to restrain the agency from examining its pricing mechanisms, following the commencement of an investigation into its pricing model after widespread complaints from members of the public.
He said the ongoing inquiry was without prejudice to the case instituted against the Commission by Air Peace.
The director quoted the vice chairman of FCCPC, Mr Tunji Bello, as saying “the commission would not hesitate to act where evidence showed that consumers welfare or market competitiveness were being undermined.
”For the avoidance of doubt, we are not a price control board but the FCCP Act 2018 empowers us to check the exploitation of consumers.
”When we receive petitions or where we find cogent evidence, we will not stand by and watch Nigerian consumers being exploited under any guise.
”Given the arbitrary spike in airfares, the Commission is extending its review of pricing patterns, the basis for the increases reported by consumers, and any practices that could undermine fair competition.
”Where evidence confirms a breach of the Act, FCCPC will apply appropriate enforcement measures,” Mr Bello said, promising that the organisation will continue to provide updates on the ongoing investigations in the aviation industry.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A travel card designed for tourists, business visitors, Diaspora returnees has been launched by Verve in partnership with Providus Bank.
Known as the ProvidusVerve Travel Card, the Naira-based travel card will allow inbound travellers to enjoy a smooth, secure, and convenient payment experience throughout their stay in Nigeria. It was powered by Verve’s secure.
Created to support the surge of tourists, expatriates, business visitors, conference delegates, and returning diaspora expected during the festive Detty December season, the ProvidusVerve Travel Card enables seamless payments for transportation, hotels, dining, shopping, entertainment, and everyday essentials nationwide.
The card also works on select global merchant platforms that accept Verve, including Netflix, Google Play, and other digital services, ensuring travellers enjoy uninterrupted access to familiar services.
The ProvidusVerve Travel Card eliminates the hassle of sourcing naira or converting foreign currency on arrival. It enables instant, secure transactions, reduces reliance on cash, and supports compliance with the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
It also mitigates the risks associated with carrying physical cash such as loss, theft, or fraud, offering a safe, regulation-aligned option for both online and in-person payments.
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card is a timely solution for inbound travellers seeking reliability, security, and simplicity while navigating Nigeria.
“Together with Providus Bank, we have created a product that eliminates the friction traditionally associated with accessing local payments.
“Whether for tourism, business, or festive activities, this card ensures a smooth financial experience from the moment visitors land,” the Vice President for Issuing and Acquiring Management for Africa at Verve International, Mr Paul Ohakim, stated.
On his part, the Divisional Head for Product Management and Solution Delivery at Interswitch, Mr Ademola Adeniran, described the partnership as a reflection of “Verve’s commitment to designing products that respond to real user needs.”
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card supports everyday experiences — from booking rides and hotels to shopping, streaming, and dining. It provides inbound travellers with a secure, compliant, digital-first way to experience Nigeria without financial barriers,” he added.
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