Nigeria is looking to promote tourism through film and storytelling, as the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) steps up engagement with key players across the creative industry.

The effort follows recent meetings with the Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board, Dr Shaibu Husseini, filmmaker and music producer Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Dr Ali Nuhu.

Discussions focused on how film, music and other creative content can be used to present a more authentic image of Nigeria and attract both local and international visitors.

“Storytelling is what we want to use to put a new face to tourism,” the Director General of NTDA said. “Nigeria is a microcosm of stories, and we need to tell them ourselves.”

He added that the initiative would involve working with filmmakers, screenwriters and other creatives, while strengthening collaboration across institutions within the sector.

“There is no better way to bring people to a destination than through stories they can connect with,” he said.

JJC Skillz said he is open to supporting efforts to promote Nigeria through creative content.

Dr Shaibu Husseini highlighted the role of film in opening up Nigeria’s tourism potential.

“We will continue to encourage our filmmakers to tell our stories using our tourism locations. Tourism potential in Nigeria is enormous, and film provides a powerful platform to open up the sector to the world,” he said.

Dr Ali Nuhu said the initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to explore the potential of film in promoting tourism.

“Nigeria has diverse locations and cultures that can be explored through film,” he said. “This kind of collaboration can help bring those stories to a wider audience.”

The NTDA says it is engaging stakeholders across the public and private sectors to strengthen the creative ecosystem and position Nigeria as a more visible tourism destination.