The executive director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr. Shaibu Husseini, has said Nigeria’s film and tourism sectors can play a key role in reducing the country’s reliance on petroleum and strengthening the economy.
Husseini made the comments on Thursday while receiving the management of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), led by its Director‑General, Dr. Ola Awakan, at the NFVCB headquarters in Abuja. The visit was a courtesy call aimed at deepening collaboration between the two agencies.
Both leaders agreed that the creative industry, especially film and tourism hold strong potential as drivers of economic growth. They said Nigerian filmmakers should highlight the country’s tourism sites in their works to attract local and foreign visitors.
Husseini said film has a strategic role in promoting Nigeria’s tourism assets. “We will continue to encourage our filmmakers to tell our stories using our tourism locations. Tourism potentials in Nigeria are enormous and film provides a powerful platform to open up the sector to the world,” he said.
Awakan echoed this view, describing tourism linked with film as a major alternative for diversifying Nigeria’s economy. “There is no better alternative to diversify the economy than through tourism embedded in film,” he said.
The NTDA Director‑General also praised Husseini’s leadership and recalled their professional relationship from their days in media. He said Husseini’s appointment at the NFVCB had changed the public narrative around the board. “We know how passionate you are about the sector,” Awakan stated.
Husseini thanked Awakan for his commitment to growing the tourism sector since taking office late last year. He said he regularly follows the NTDA’s activities to stay updated on developments.
Awakan said his dedication to tourism stems from long years of professional involvement. “If I could do it when I didn’t have a platform, why should I complain now that I have one?” he said.
Husseini also urged for deliberate policies that would strengthen inbound tourism, while acknowledging that challenges remain in fully realising Nigeria’s tourism potential.
The meeting reaffirmed both agencies’ commitment to working together to leverage Nigeria’s film industry and tourism sector as pillars for economic growth, job creation and national development.
The NFVCB is a government agency under the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy responsible for film classification and regulation in Nigeria. In recent years, the board has stepped up collaboration with industry stakeholders and reduced turnaround times for film classification to support growth in the creative economy.
The NTDA is the federal agency in charge of developing and promoting tourism within Nigeria and abroad. It runs programmes designed to attract investment, support small businesses and build tourism capacity.
