Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy,Hannatu Musawa has emphasised the importance of integrating art and culture into public-sector excellence in Nigeria.
She gave the charge in Abuja while addressing Trainees at the 4th Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), held at the National Institute For Legislative and Democratic Studies.
Themed: ‘Building the next generation of Public Sector Leaders’, the Minister highlighted art and culture as essential tools for national cohesion and identity, economic development and job creation, innovation and civic engagement, sustainable development, and projecting Nigeria’s soft power and global identity.
She noted that Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage is a unifying force that binds different ethnicities and elaborated on how Art and Culture is key to public-sector excellence in Nigeria.
“First, embracing and promoting art and culture helps to forge national cohesion and shared identity among Nigeria’s diverse populations.
“Integrating culture into public policy and governance transforms the creative and cultural sectors into engines of economic development, job creation and diversification.
“Cultural industries including crafts, music, film, design, and heritage tourism, can generate livelihoods, attract investment, expand exports, and reduce overreliance on a narrow set of economic activities.
“A society that values creativity and cultural expression tends to produce more resourceful citizens, fosters cross-cultural dialogue, and encourages public servants to be more adaptive, empathetic, and culturally aware while prioritising culture and creative economy in public policy through frameworks, institutions, and infrastructure, demonstrating long-term vision and commitment to sustainable development,” she said.
The minister called for supportive policies, enabling legislation, and sustained commitment to fulfil this vision, including laws that protect intellectual property, incentivise investment in creative infrastructure, and integrate arts and culture into education and community development.
“Embedding art and culture at the heart of governance and public-sector planning is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
“It builds unity, drives economic growth, fosters innovation, strengthens institutions, and ensures that development respects and reflects the soul of the nation,” she stated.
