THE Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy invites eligible creatives, entrepreneurs, and organisations to apply for funding through the Creative Economy Development Fund. The CEDF is a bold step towards realizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at fostering job creation, economic diversification, and enhancing Nigeria’s global cultural influence. Flagging off the CEDF, the Honorable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa said that the Fund is a strategic national investment designed to unlock the vast potential of Nigeria’s creative sector, positioning it as a driver of economic growth and…
Author: Maimuna Bashir Isa
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THE Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has stated that Meta’s threat to exit Nigeria does not exempt the social media giant from its legal responsibilities. The Commission emphasized that any ongoing judicial proceedings will not be invalidated by the company’s decision or threat to leave the country. The Commission said WhatsApp’s warning about possibly leaving Nigeria was a way to stir public sympathy and pressure the regulator into changing its decision. The agency gave the response in a statement signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, on Saturday. This follows an earlier warning by Meta that…
FACEBOOK, Instagram and WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta, has said it may be forced to shut down all three apps and its operations in Nigeria after a tribunal insisted that it must pay the $220 million slapped on it in July 2024. Meta was also asked to pay the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) an additional $35,000 as the “cost of investigation.” The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) fined the company N60bn ($37.5m) and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission $32.8m, bringing the total to $290.3m. The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal “ruled that the multiple actions by WhatsApp…
IN a landmark move to advance Nigeria’s tourism sector, the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates at the 2025 Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. The collaboration targeted at boosting inbound tourism to Nigeria will enable Emirates to leverage its extensive global network of over 140 destinations to promote Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, diverse natural attractions, and vibrant cities to international audiences. The agreement signed on Thursday, underscores the Ministry’s commitment to implementing the President’s Destination 2030 Soft Power Initiative, a key pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda,…
THE Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh on Wednesday expressed the commission’s readiness to provide seamless 2025 Hajj operations, beginning with the inaugural flight on May 9. Mr Saleh said this at the National Hajj Stakeholders Summit, with the theme “Sustainable Hajj Financing: Developing a Resilient Model for Nigerian Pilgrims and Operators’’. The summit was organised by the NAHCON, Hajj Institute of Nigeria, HIN, in collaboration with Jaiz Bank. According to Saleh, NAHCON, in its role as the regulator of Hajj affairs in Nigeria and the Hajj mission for Nigerian pilgrims in the Kingdom of Saudi…
NIGERIA’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has addressed a gathering of high-net-worth investors and business leaders at a Brazil–Nigeria Business Roundtable held in Rio de Janeiro. According to a statement by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir made available to this newspaper, Tuesday, t he event was organized under the auspices of ApexBrasil, Brazil’s leading investment promotion agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). The roundtable featured key figures including José Luis Pinho Leite Gordon, Director of Productive Development, Innovation, and Foreign…
Soldier Sentence To Death
THE Federal Government is to pay the outstanding five months N35,000 wage award arrears to workers. The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, OAGF, made this known in a statement issued by Bawa Mokwa, the Director of Press and Public Relations. Mokwa said that the Federal Government had earlier paid five months wage award in instalments. He said that the outstanding arrears would be paid in instalments of N35,000 per month for five months. He said the first instalment of the outstanding wage award arrears would be paid after the April 2025 salary. “The wage award arrears will…
THE United Kingdom government has deported 43 individuals, including failed asylum seekers and convicted foreign offenders, to Nigeria and Ghana. Among those removed were 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign national offenders who had completed their prison sentences. Seven individuals also chose to leave the country voluntarily. This flight is the second to Nigeria and Ghana since the last election, bringing the total number of deportees to 87. Officials say this reflects the growing partnership between the UK and both West African nations. A report on gov.uk on Friday, said the move was to reinforce its ongoing efforts to…
THE Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has upheld the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Incorporated by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). In a statement on Friday, the FCCPC’s Director for Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, announced that the tribunal also awarded the commission $35,000 to cover the investigation costs. Ijagwu noted that the Tribunal specifically determined that the Commission complied with prevailing laws, discharged its mandate, and exercised its powers within the confines of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He added that the Tribunal ruled that the multiple actions by WhatsApp and Meta, for which the…
THE total number of local and foreign companies exempted from remitting tax revenue to government coffers increased to 105 as of December 2024, this newspaper gathered. Dangote Fertilisers, BUA, Mikano International Limited, and 102 others are included in this list. This came amid uncertainties over the programme’s effectiveness and the government’s announced plan to discontinue the policy as part of a broader strategy to boost its dwindling revenue base. The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, approved tax holidays for 22 new companies under the Pioneer Status Incentive scheme, raising the total number of beneficiaries to 105 in…
THE Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, has emphasized the critical role of the creative economy in addressing climate challenges and unlocking development opportunities in Katsina State. Speaking at the Katsina State Climate Action and Green Investment Summit in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister highlighted the state’s unique climate-related challenges, including desertification, water scarcity, and unpredictable rainfall, which threaten agriculture, livelihoods, and food security. She stated that by embracing creativity and innovation, particularly through the power of the creative economy, Katsina State can unlock new pathways to sustainable development, job creation, and social progress.…
KATSINA State Governor, Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, has pledged his state’s support to the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy in areas of culture and artifacts preservation. Governor Radda made the pledge during a visit to Minister Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa in Abuja on Tuesday. The Governor expressed admiration for the Minister’s initiatives, stating that Nigeria has a rich cultural heritage and a lot to offer globally in art and culture. He commended the Ministry’s efforts in preserving and retrieving the state’s artifacts while pledging to support the Ministry’s laudable initiatives, which he said, are achievable. Governor…
BARRISTER Hannatu Musa Musawa is deeply saddened by the death of Pope Francis, whose death occurred early Easter Monday. The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy said the Pontiff’s life transcended the Vatican and religion, touching hearts globally. Musawa described Pope Francis as a champion of peace, unity, and reconciliation, noting his efforts to bridge gaps between warring nations and religions. “I mourn the loss of a global leader who embodied compassion, humility, and a commitment to social justice. Pope Francis’s unwavering dedication to the marginalized and his call for a more inclusive world inspired countless individuals.…
THE President and Founder of MAAUN Group of Universities, Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has handed over a 7-story building to the North-West Development Commission (NWDC) to be used as its Head Office in Kano. The President of Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Prof. (Dr.) Mohammad Israr, formally handed over the building to Prof. Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, the Managing Director/ COE of NWDC on behalf of Prof. Gwarzo at a brief ceremony on Friday, April 18, 2025. He said the 7-story building, located at No.16c Murtala Mohammed Way, Kano, would serve as NWDC temporary Head office. Prof. Gwarzo said the…
THE Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy (FMACTCE) has announced a landmark three-year partnership with Chocolate City Group, one of Nigeria’s leading media and entertainment companies, to transform the country’s creative economy. A Memorandum of Understanding signed on Thursday in Abuja will focus on developing small-scale live arenas nationwide, identifying and nurturing talent, creating global distribution channels for Nigerian content, and strengthening intellectual property frameworks. The strategic alliance brings together government vision and private sector expertise to develop Nigeria’s creative industries, with special focus on music, content creation, and live events infrastructure. Speaking at the signing…
THE Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed its readiness to host the 68th meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa (CAF) in Abuja. Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, Barr Hannatu Musa Musawa, gave the assurance when a two-man team from the United Nations Tourism Commission for Africa, (CAF) paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja on Tuesday. The Minister said during her preliminary meeting with the team that the mission is a unique opportunity to strengthen collaboration and drive the shared vision of tourism for sustainable development across the African continent. Musawa added that Nigeria will showcase…
IN a groundbreaking development for Nigeria’s Industrial transformation, the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, commissioned the first phase of an advanced Onion Storage Processing Plant in Kano. This state-of-the-art facility, owned by Prism Foods Limited, boasts a storage capacity of over 10,000 metric tons and represents an investment of ₦10 billion. Currently employing approximately 200 people, the plant is poised to revolutionise onion storage and processing in West Africa. According to Prism Foods Limited CEO Aman Gupta, the storage facility has a power-generating plant with an expanded capacity of 240 tons and employs advanced temperature control…
THE Republic of Tunisia has expressed interest in establishing cultural and tourism relations with Nigeria. His Excellency Moshen Antit, Ambassador of Tunisia to Nigeria, made this known during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, in Abuja on Monday. Ambassador Antit highlighted the potential for collaboration in cultural exchanges and medical tourism between the two countries. He noted that Tunisia boasts advanced medical facilities and expertise, making it an attractive destination for medical tourism in Africa. “Tunisia is known for its rich history and architecture which makes it a potential…
A DAY-OLD-BABY has been abandoned in Jikoko community, located in the Mpape area of the Federal Capital Territory. The baby was said to have been found in a carton, wrapped in cloth, and dumped along a bush path near a poultry farm in the community. Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday, a resident of the area who identified himself as Aliyu said the discovery shocked the community. “We woke up to the sight of a day-old baby kept in a carton. “The carton was placed along a bush path close to a poultry farm in Jikoko. The police were notified,…