The Federal Government and the Rivers State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance the Renewed Hope Cultural Project, an initiative aimed at expanding Nigeria’s creative economy and promoting tourism development.
The agreement was signed during a visit by the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, to Rivers State, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to completing the Oyorokoto Beach Resort project and positioning the state as a major tourism destination in Nigeria.
Fubara said his administration had invested significant resources in developing the tourism sector over the past three years, with the aim of creating leisure destinations, generating employment opportunities and diversifying the state’s economy.
The governor noted that some elements of the Renewed Hope Cultural Project aligned with his administration’s vision when it initiated the Ngo–Atlantic Oyorokoto Road project in Andoni Local Government Area.
According to him, infrastructure development should go beyond roads, bridges and healthcare facilities to include projects that support entertainment, hospitality and tourism.
Fubara cited countries in Europe and the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as examples of economies that have grown not only through infrastructure development but also through strong hospitality and tourism industries.
He assured the federal government that Rivers State would move beyond signing the agreement and work towards delivering visible outcomes within four months.
The governor also expressed appreciation to the federal government for selecting Rivers as one of the states participating in the cultural and creative economy initiative.
The MoU was signed on behalf of the federal government by Musawa, while the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Culture, Ishmael Tomonialadeokuma, signed on behalf of the state.
Speaking at the event, Musawa described the partnership as timely, saying it reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening collaboration between the federal government and states in developing Nigeria’s creative industry.
She said the major objectives of the project were economic diversification, industry expansion and job creation.
The minister commended the Rivers State Government for its efforts in promoting arts, culture, tourism and the creative economy, describing the state’s potential in the sector as significant.
“Mr President wants us not to work in silos but to work together with the different sub-nationals to see how the federal government can support all your efforts in the state,” Musawa said.
She added that collaboration between the federal government and Rivers State was essential to achieving the objectives of the project and unlocking the state’s tourism potential.
