The Federal Government has fixed September 14 for the National Stakeholders Conference of the “Ember to Remember” tourism initiative, with the event scheduled to hold at Eko Hotel in Lagos.

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa-Musawa, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while outlining the government’s plans to strengthen tourism and position Nigeria as a competitive international destination.

According to the minister, the conference will convene key players across the tourism and creative economy, including federal and state tourism authorities, private-sector operators, financial institutions, airlines, hospitality businesses, event organisers, creatives, technology firms and the media.

She explained that the gathering would provide a platform for stakeholders to develop practical strategies for turning Nigeria’s cultural and tourism assets into sustainable economic opportunities.

Musawa also announced the unveiling of the National Ember to Remember Calendar, which will feature a coordinated collection of festivals, concerts, cultural events, conferences, tourist destinations and other experiences taking place across the country.

The minister stressed that the initiative goes beyond compiling a list of events, describing it as an effort to establish a coordinated national tourism structure capable of generating greater economic value.

“Ember to Remember is Nigeria’s coordinated September-to-December tourism season, a 100-day national programme designed to connect culture, tourism, entertainment, hospitality, transportation, commerce and the creative economy,” she said.

Musawa said the programme was designed to shift the focus from isolated events to the development of an ecosystem around tourism experiences, with the potential to stimulate investment, create jobs and increase economic activity.

She said the initiative would also provide a unified platform for promoting Nigeria’s diverse attractions, including food, music, fashion, cultural heritage, hospitality, natural sites and creative products.

According to her, bringing these experiences under one national tourism narrative would improve Nigeria’s visibility and strengthen efforts to attract both domestic and international visitors.

“We want the conference to examine aviation, hospitality, transportation, digital infrastructure, investment, culture, events and the visitor experience,” the minister said.

She added that the conference would serve as a working session focused on identifying practical ways to convert the country’s substantial tourism and cultural resources into measurable economic returns, rather than merely serving as another stakeholder gathering.

Musawa further acknowledged the contributions of MTN Nigeria and Providus Bank to the initiative.

She commended MTN Nigeria for helping to extend the reach of the national tourism calendar to millions of Nigerians through the MyCityApp digital platform.

The minister also praised Providus Bank for recognising the importance of financial institutions in supporting the growth of Nigeria’s tourism, hospitality and creative sectors.

The Federal Government expects the “Ember to Remember” programme and the September 14 stakeholders conference to strengthen collaboration among the various sectors that contribute to the tourism economy and establish a more coordinated framework for promoting Nigeria as a destination.