Sterling Bank Limited is rallying senior government officials, industry regulators, institutional investors, hospitality operators, creatives, and traditional leaders in Lagos to drive coordinated action aimed at unlocking sustainable investment and long-term growth in Nigeria’s tourism and creative economy.
According to the lender in a statement on Tuesday, the aim of the convening is to position the tourism sector as a strategic pillar of economic diversification and job creation.
The high-level stakeholder engagement brought together public and private sector leaders to examine practical pathways for translating rising global interest in Nigerian culture, entertainment, and destinations into structured, year-round economic value.
The NGGOSSIPS reports that Nigeria’s tourism and creative sectors have gained increased international visibility in recent years, driven by the global reach of Nigerian music, film, fashion, and cultural experiences. Seasonal travel peaks and diaspora engagement have contributed to rising demand for immersive Nigerian experiences.
In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank Limited, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, stated that tourism and the creative economy represent significant opportunities for employment generation, foreign exchange earnings, and inclusive growth.
He noted that realising this potential will require deliberate collaboration between policymakers, financiers, operators, and cultural institutions. According to him, durable sector expansion must be supported by aligned financing mechanisms, regulatory clarity, infrastructure investment, and talent development.
The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Mrs Hannatu Musawa, outlined the Federal Government’s strategic priorities for the sector and reaffirmed its commitment to partnership-driven growth.
She emphasised the importance of innovative financing structures, strengthened value chains, and structured public-private collaboration to unlock investment into tourism assets and creative enterprises. The minister acknowledged the role of financial institutions in mobilising capital and facilitating scalable industry development.
Also speaking at the engagement, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Tourism, Arts, and Creative Economy, Mrs Moriam Ajaga, reiterated the administration’s focus on policy coherence and improved access to finance under the Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing the need for sustained institutional dialogue to ensure that policy reforms translate into investable opportunities and measurable economic outcomes.
The Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, led by Mr Ayomide Adeagbo, described the engagement as a platform for aligning regulatory direction with private capital and creative entrepreneurship.
Opening the proceedings, Sterling Bank’s Head of Tourism and Creative Arts, Mrs Abiola Adelana, highlighted the importance of sector-specific financial solutions tailored to the operational realities of tourism operators, hospitality investors, and creative entrepreneurs. She noted that the industry requires financing models that reflect its revenue cycles and asset structures and emphasised that financial institutions must design instruments that balance commercial sustainability with developmental impact.
Traditional leadership perspectives were also represented. The Oniru of Iru Land, Oba Abdulwasiu Lawal, called for closer collaboration between custodians of cultural heritage, government authorities, and private investors to preserve and responsibly commercialise Nigeria’s historical and cultural assets. He emphasised that tourism growth must be anchored in sustainable stewardship to ensure long-term value.
The engagement also referenced structured partnerships between financial institutions and creative enterprises. Sterling Bank’s collaboration with Dapo “D’Banj” Oyebanjo through the C.R.E.A.M. Foundation was highlighted as an example of how formal financial systems can strengthen monetisation pathways, improve financial inclusion, and support scalable business models within the entertainment and creative industries.
Sterling Bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting priority sectors with strong multiplier effects on employment.
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