LAGOS GOVT SEEKS LGAs, LCDAs’ GREATER ROLE IN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
The Lagos State Government has called for stronger involvement of local governments and communities in the development and promotion of tourism and cultural assets across the state.
The government said its ambition to position Lagos as a leading tourism destination must be driven by greater grassroots participation.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, made the call during a strategic engagement with supervisors, special advisers and representatives of Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos.
The meeting, held at Delborough Hotel, Victoria Island, was organised by Aregbe and the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs Bopo Oyekan, under the theme, “A Lagos that Works for Everyone, Everywhere.”
Aregbe said the government was shifting from centrally driven tourism initiatives to an approach that gives councils and communities active roles in identifying, preserving and promoting cultural resources within their localities.
He noted that every festival, heritage site and cultural experience that places Lagos on the global tourism map begins at the grassroots.
According to him, the engagement was designed to provide a platform for local stakeholders to share ideas, identify opportunities and establish partnerships capable of transforming Lagos’ cultural diversity into sustainable tourism activities.
He stressed that building Lagos into a global tourism destination must start with the people and institutions at the local level.
The approach, he explained, places LGAs and LCDAs at the centre of efforts to preserve local heritage, support festivals and develop tourism experiences that can attract visitors while creating economic opportunities for host communities.
Aregbe said stronger collaboration with local governments would be crucial to achieving inclusivity, creativity, heritage preservation and sustainable tourism development as Lagos works towards becoming Africa’s premier tourism and entertainment destination.
The engagement also featured discussions with development partners on ways to support tourism and cultural initiatives through strategic partnerships, while participants shared challenges and opportunities within their respective communities.
The Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Carlos Rojas-Arbulú, who attended the meeting, highlighted the growing international interest in Lagos’ tourism, arts and cultural potential.
The ministry said the engagement formed part of its broader efforts to ensure tourism development extends beyond major commercial and entertainment centres to communities where cultural practices, festivals and heritage assets originate.
It reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with LGAs and LCDAs to preserve heritage, promote creativity and build a community-driven tourism ecosystem that delivers broader economic and social benefits to Lagos residents.
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