The Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) is intensifying its nationwide drive to harness Nigeria’s diverse cultural treasures, forging strategic partnerships that promise to transform promising destinations into world-class hubs of heritage, hospitality, and economic vitality. 
In a recent high-level engagement in the historic city of Kano, NTDA Director-General Dr. Olayiwola Awakan paid a courtesy visit to the Kano State Tourism Board. He was warmly received by its Managing Director, Alhaji Tukur B. Sagagi (also known as Tukur Bala Sagagi), a seasoned administrator with prior leadership at the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR). The meeting served as a pivotal platform to align federal and state visions, deepen collaboration, and chart practical pathways for promoting tourism, safeguarding rich cultural legacies, and catalyzing sustainable economic growth across the region. 
The NTDA delegation seized the opportunity to immerse themselves in Kano’s storied past by exploring iconic sites such as Gidan Dan Hausa — a vibrant cultural center preserving Hausa traditions — and the magnificent Gidan Makama Museum. This 15th-century architectural gem, once a temporary palace for Kano’s rulers and now a National Monument, houses 11 galleries brimming with artifacts, historical displays on Hausa architecture, colonial encounters, traditional occupations, music, and the city’s enduring legacy as a center of commerce and scholarship. These visits underscored the immense untapped potential of Kano’s heritage assets to attract both domestic and international visitors. 
Further reinforcing the cultural bridge, the delegation paid a respectful courtesy call on His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II. This engagement highlighted the vital role of traditional institutions as custodians of Nigeria’s living heritage and key partners in tourism sustainability. 
Dr. Awakan, a multiple award-winning journalist, dramatist, and storyteller appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in September 2025, brings a creative and collaborative ethos to the NTDA’s mandate. His leadership emphasizes innovation, stakeholder synergy, and positioning Nigeria as a preferred global tourism destination through targeted marketing, infrastructure support, and community involvement. 
This Kano outreach exemplifies the NTDA’s broader strategy of grassroots partnerships with state boards, traditional rulers, and local stakeholders. Kano, with its ancient city walls, bustling markets, festivals, and historical depth, stands poised to become a flagship northern tourism hub — contributing to job creation, foreign exchange earnings, and inclusive growth amid Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda. 
As the NTDA continues these momentum-building initiatives, the visit signals a promising chapter: one where heritage preservation and economic empowerment walk hand in hand, inviting the world to experience the soul of Nigeria through destinations like Kano.
