The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy has announced “Ember to Remember 2026,” a 100-day national tourism season designed to promote Nigeria’s cultural, tourism and creative offerings from September to December.
The initiative was announced on Monday in Abuja by the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa.
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Musawa said the campaign will be formally launched and its national calendar unveiled at the Ember to Remember National Stakeholders Conference scheduled for September 14 at Eko Hotel, Lagos.
Speaking at a press conference at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, the minister said the initiative aimed to create a more coordinated approach to promoting Nigeria as a tourism destination.
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She noted that although December has become strongly associated with Nigeria’s homecoming and tourism season, the country has cultural festivals, food, music, fashion, heritage and hospitality offerings throughout the year.
“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,” she said.
The Tourism Minister described Ember to Remember as a coordinated September-to-December tourism season designed to connect culture, tourism, entertainment, hospitality, transportation, commerce and the creative economy.
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“It is about moving beyond simply having events to deliberately building an economy around those experiences,” she said.
“Today is the announcement. 14th September is the flag-off. One country. One calendar. One unforgettable season.”
MyCityApp to power digital events calendar
Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of MyCityApp, Ifeoma Mbonu, said the platform would power the National Digital Events and Experiences Calendar for the initiative.
The calendar is expected to help Nigerians, members of the diaspora and international visitors discover events and experiences across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“MyCityApp is a digital city and tourism platform connecting people to Nigeria’s events, destinations, hospitality, culture and experiences,” Mbonu said.
“Our vision is simple: wherever you are, when you ask ‘What is happening in Nigeria from September to December?’ there should be one place to find the answer.”
She urged event organisers across the country to upload their events to the platform through the Ember2Remember section.
Mbonu said the initiative could also generate economic benefits for businesses across the tourism and hospitality value chain.
“Every visitor who attends an event contributes to airlines, hotels, transport, restaurants, tourism, retail and local businesses. By connecting to these experiences, we can attract more visitors, support businesses, create jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s tourism economy,” she said.
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The initiative is expected to bring together government agencies, state tourism authorities, private-sector operators, financial institutions, airlines, hospitality businesses, event producers, creatives, technology companies and the media.
The September 14 National Stakeholders Conference will serve as the formal launch of the programme and the unveiling of its national calendar.
Other speakers at Monday’s event included the Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Abisoye Fagade; Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Olayiwola Awakan; Head of Private Banking, Abuja and North Region, Providus Bank, Silely Lothan; and General Manager, Operations, MTN, David Ogunsola.
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