In a bid to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have agreed to jointly produce a comprehensive publication documenting the economic and tourism potentials of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to them, the initiative is aimed at accelerating investment, promoting tourism, and supporting the economic development agenda of President Tinubu’s administration.
NPC’s Executive Secretary, Dili Ezughah, who highlighted the initiative’s purpose at a strategic meeting in Abuja Thursday, said the two agencies were spearheading the writing of a book titled Nigeria: Documenting the Economy and Tourism Profiles of the States and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said, “This book provides readers with invaluable, authoritative, and comprehensive data on population, key demographic and economic indicators, investor incentives, and tourism potentials for each state and the FCT.
“Since we are talking about states, there is no better place to seek collaboration than here with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. This partnership will enable us to coalesce efforts and drive the project quickly.
“The publication features an eight-page profile for each state and the FCT. It is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy by fostering a stable political environment, boost economic growth, improve living standards, harness Nigeria’s youthful population, and engage the Nigerian diaspora to tap into their resources and expertise.”
In his remarks, the NGF Director General, Abdulateef Shittu, expressed support for the collaboration, saying, “The Nigeria Governors’ Forum is glad to forge this partnership. It aligns perfectly with our strategic objectives to promote investment and development at the sub-national level.”
He added, “For many years, the Press Council has been quiet, but it is heartwarming to see the federal government now supporting and funding the Council to carry out its mandate effectively.
“The Press Council is the regulatory body for the press ecosystem, and we want the government to support them so they can help clean up the media space, especially in this era of fake news, misinformation, and negative narratives.”