The establishment of the Ministry of Tourism under President Bola Tinubu’s administration was initially received with great optimism by stakeholders in the hospitality and tourism sectors. It signified recognition at the highest levels of governance that tourism, a sector with vast untapped potential, could significantly contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth, job creation, and cultural diplomacy. Appointing Mrs Lola Ade-John to spearhead this newly established ministry was also seen as a forward-thinking decision, considering her strong professional background and diverse industry experience.
However, the sudden dissolution of the Ministry of Tourism after only a few months, leading to Ade-John’s resignation, has sparked discourse on the achievements, challenges, and missed opportunities during her brief tenure.
Photo Source: The News Nigeria.
This commentary seeks to critically evaluate Ade-John’s performance and the strides she achieved, even amidst the overwhelming challenges of a short-lived ministry. It also highlights the underlying factors that may have affected her performance and the more significant implications for tourism development in Nigeria. It hopes to generate the desired discourse in setting the pace for the new Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy.
From the outset, she inherited a sector laden with potential but hampered by numerous challenges. The tourism sector in Nigeria has long struggled with issues such as inadequate infrastructure, insecurity, a weak regulatory framework, poor funding, and underutilisation of the country’s cultural and natural resources. Moreover, the need for coordination between tourism and other critical sectors, such as transport, aviation, education, and trade, further complicated efforts to develop tourism as a significant economic driver.
Despite these challenges, expectations were high. Creating a dedicated Ministry of Tourism was seen as an opportunity to place tourism on the front burner of national policy, create an enabling environment for private-sector investments, and develop a strategic roadmap for growth. Ade-John was expected to tackle these deep-rooted challenges while navigating the politics of Nigeria’s often complex public administration.
In the few months that Mrs Ade-John headed the Ministry of Tourism, she demonstrated a clear vision and a proactive approach to jump-starting tourism reforms. Despite the Ministry’s short lifespan, she laid the groundwork for several initiatives that could have transformed Nigeria’s tourism sector if given the time to mature.
One of the most notable achievements of the former minister was her swift effort to develop a tourism roadmap that aimed to tackle sectoral inefficiencies and bottlenecks. She initiated consultations with critical stakeholders, including state governments, tourism operators, and international development partners, early into her tenure. She aimed to harmonise efforts across the different government and private sector levels. She also worked on proposals for legal reforms to strengthen the regulatory framework, ensuring the Ministry had the authority and tools to create a conducive business environment for tourism investments. Her pet project—revitalising the tourism policy after over 20 years of review had been scheduled for industry review later in the month before the merger of the Ministry of Tourism.
Another significant stride made under Ade-John’s leadership was forging strategic partnerships with international tourism bodies and potential investors. Recognising that Nigeria’s tourism industry can thrive in collaboration, she worked to position Nigeria as a competitive destination within Africa and the global tourism landscape.
The Ministry engaged in talks with global players such as the United Nations World Tourism Organisation and the African Union, intending to tap into international expertise, secure technical support, and promote Nigeria as a premier African destination. This kind of global engagement is essential for building credibility and attracting foreign direct investment, an area in which Nigeria has traditionally lagged in tourism. She has partnered with industry players to return Nigeria to the WTM in London, an event the country had been missing for about ten years. Now, the country shall be at the WTM in November 2024 without the participation of the country’s architect.
Also, one of Ade-John’s key strategies was her emphasis on cultural and domestic tourism. In light of the security challenges affecting international visitor arrivals, she saw domestic tourism as a low-hanging fruit. Her administration pushed for developing local tourism circuits to leverage Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, festivals, and historical sites.
A particular focus was placed on promoting less-travelled regions, hoping to diversify tourism beyond the well-known attractions in Lagos, Abuja, and Calabar. She has visited lesser-known destinations within Nigeria, among others, to her credit. To achieve this, the former minister emphasised the need for collaboration with state governments, many of which were tasked with managing their cultural and historical assets. She also advocated for an enhanced role for the private sector in promoting these assets through creative packaging and marketing.
Crucially, the launch of preliminary campaigns aimed at rebranding Nigeria’s image as a safe, culturally rich, and dynamic destination was laudable. Recognising the need to tackle negative perceptions of insecurity, corruption, and poor infrastructure, Ade-John proposed a new narrative – “The world knows Nigerians but not Nigeria.” Though still in its infancy, this rebranding effort was set to address domestic and international markets. Such efforts would have aligned well with her broader goal of promoting cultural tourism and enhancing Nigeria’s soft power through tourism.
Despite the promising strides made by Mrs. Lola Ade-John, her challenges were immense, many of which hindered the full realisation of her vision. Unfortunately, one of the most significant challenges she faced was the chronic underfunding of the tourism sector. The tourism ministry needed help with budgetary allocations, severely limiting its capacity to implement large-scale projects. This lack of funding is not a new challenge but has historically crippled efforts to develop tourism infrastructure and services in Nigeria.
Even with Ade-John’s innovative approach, the ministry’s financial constraints were a significant hindrance.
The sudden dissolution of the Ministry of Tourism and Mrs. Ade-John’s subsequent resignation abruptly halted the many initiatives she had started. The ministry’s short lifespan made implementing her envisioned strategic reforms challenging. Moreover, the political instability and frequent reshuffling of ministers in Nigeria have often led to policy discontinuity, and this case was no exception. Her inability to continue her work has left a void, with many projects at risk of abandonment or losing momentum.
Also, the perennial issue of insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in the eastern and northern regions, remained a significant deterrent to tourism growth. Despite her efforts to promote domestic tourism, the threat of terrorism, banditry, and kidnappings made it difficult to convince both local and international tourists to explore Nigeria’s vast tourism potential. Although beyond her control, this challenge was a persistent issue that undermined her efforts at tourism promotion.
While Mrs Ade-John’s tenure was cut short, her strides set a foundation that, if built upon, could catalyse long-term growth in the tourism sector. However, the premature end of her leadership leaves lingering questions about the continuity of tourism development in Nigeria.
The dissolution of the Ministry of Tourism can be seen as a missed opportunity for the country to harness the economic potential of its tourism sector. If the government remains committed to diversifying the economy away from oil, a well-funded and strategically guided tourism ministry is critical. Tourism offers Nigeria a unique opportunity to create jobs, generate foreign exchange, and promote cultural diplomacy. However, this potential will only be realised if future administrations prioritise tourism, provide sufficient funding, and maintain policy continuity.
A clear vision and decisive action within a short time frame marked her performance as the head of Nigeria’s Ministry of Tourism. She demonstrated a gradual but immense understanding of the sector’s challenges and initiated reforms that, if allowed to take root, could have significantly improved the tourism landscape in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the Ministry’s brief existence and subsequent resignation have left the sector at a crossroads. It is now up to future leaders and stakeholders to build upon the groundwork laid during her short tenure and ensure Nigeria’s tourism sector is given the attention and investment it desperately needs to thrive.
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As a scholar and practitioner in the hospitality and tourism sectors, Ade-John’s time as Minister of Tourism, while short, represents hope for the sector. The strides she made should serve as a reminder that with exemplary leadership, commitment, and resources, Nigeria’s tourism industry can rise to become a vital pillar of our national economy. We will miss her lovely face at industry events, and we can only hope that the new leadership will exceed her industry engagements and involvement efforts.