• NEC has directed all 36 states and the FCT to contribute N200 million each to fund the Renewed Hope Cultural Project and Naija Season
• The initiative is Nigeria’s first unified national cultural and tourism calendar.
• The project will focus on restoring heritage sites, promoting tourism, building cultural villages and expanding the creative economy

The National Economic Council (NEC) has directed the 36 state governors and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to contribute N200 million each to support the Renewed Hope Cultural Project and Naija Season, a new national platform designed to unify Nigeria’s cultural and tourism calendar.

The resolution was one of the major decisions reached at the 157th NEC meeting held virtually on Thursday, April 30, and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The council also approved 112 as Nigeria’s national emergency number, ordered the release of approved funds for the rehabilitation of police training institutions, and received updates on polio eradication and the National Industrial Policy.

Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, disclosed the resolutions in a statement issued Thursday titled “NEC Moves To Strengthen National Emergency Response, Okays 112 As Lifeline.”

According to the statement, the council approved the N200 million contribution after a presentation by the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, which described Naija Season as the country’s first coordinated national cultural and tourism calendar.

The initiative is expected to bring together festivals, tourism events, cultural showcases and creative economy activities from all 36 states and the FCT under one national platform.

The ministry explained that the Renewed Hope Cultural Project is designed to preserve and restore historic sites, palaces and monuments across the country, while also supporting skills development, establishing Renewed Hope Creative and Cultural Villages, and promoting Nigeria’s cultural assets on a broader scale.

It added that the project could create up to one million jobs by 2030, boost diaspora spending and strengthen Nigeria’s cultural presence globally.

With all 36 states and the FCT expected to contribute N200 million each, the initiative is projected to generate N7.4 billion from sub-national contributions alone.

NEC also called for stronger collaboration between federal and state governments to ensure the successful implementation of the cultural and tourism programme, indicating that the approved funding marks the beginning of a broader long-term partnership.

Speaking on the adoption of 112 as the country’s unified emergency number, Shettima said the decision goes beyond administration and reflects the government’s responsibility to protect lives.

“In moments of fire, accident, robbery, medical emergency, flood, violence, or panic, citizens do not need bureaucracy. They need a response,” the Vice President said.

“They need to know one number to call, one system to trust, and one coordinated chain of action that moves quickly enough to save lives.”

Shettima also reminded council members that NEC remains central to the country’s economic reform agenda, stressing that national growth cannot be achieved through federal action alone.

“We cannot build our way to a one-trillion-dollar economy by federal effort alone.

“We cannot create millions of jobs by speeches alone. We cannot expand exports, attract investment, secure communities, or unlock productivity unless every tier of government understands its role and performs it with urgency,” he said.

He further challenged state governments to ensure that council decisions translate into real impact for citizens.

“History will not ask how many meetings we held. It will ask what changed because we met,” Shettima said.

“It will ask whether our decisions reached the farmer, the manufacturer, the artist, the investor, the accident victim, the unemployed graduate, and the child waiting to inherit the country we are rebuilding.”

On security infrastructure, NEC received an update on the rehabilitation of police training institutions from an ad hoc committee chaired by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah.

The council commended the committee’s progress and directed the Ministry of Finance to fast-track the release of the outstanding approved funds. It also instructed the committee to ensure that institutions selected in the first phase reflect all geopolitical zones.

On polio eradication, NEC approved the expansion of its ad hoc committee to include seven more high-risk states, Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Niger, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa.

A second batch of 12 states, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, Kwara and Nasarawa, is expected to begin vaccination campaigns on May 2.

The council also reviewed the National Industrial Policy, noting that the Nigeria Industrial Cluster Programme is targeting 76 industrial clusters with the potential to generate $2.74 billion in revenue over 25 years.

NEC commended ongoing efforts to align sub-national industrial strategies with the broader national industrial framework.

The Accountant-General of the Federation also briefed the council on the country’s fiscal balances, stating that as of April 27, 2026, the Excess Crude Account stood at $535,823.39, while the Stabilisation Account held N72.84 billion and the Natural Resources Account contained N158.19 billion.

Lai Mohammed highlights role of strategic communication in promoting culture, tourism

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had underscored the importance of strategic communication in advancing Nigeria’s cultural and tourism sectors, describing it as a key tool for national development.

According to Mohammed, his tenure as minister saw a deliberate effort to reposition Nigeria’s cultural heritage and tourism potential through targeted communication strategies. He explained that routine official engagements were transformed into high-impact media events aimed at boosting visibility and engagement.