NEC Orders States, FCT to Pay N200m Each for Cultural Tourism Initiative

The National Economic Council has directed all 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory to contribute N200 million each to the Renewed Hope Cultural Project and Naija Season, a unified national cultural and tourism calendar.

The decision was among several resolutions reached during the 157th NEC meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima and held virtually from the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

The council also approved 112 as the national emergency number, directed the Ministry of Finance to release funds for the rehabilitation of police training institutions, and received briefings on polio eradication and Nigeria’s industrial policy.

During a presentation, the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy described Naija Season as a platform aggregating festivals, cultural events, tourism attractions and creative economy activities from all states and the FCT under one coordinated national programme.

The Renewed Hope Cultural Project focuses on restoring historic sites, palaces and monuments, building capacity, establishing creative and cultural villages, and promoting Nigerian culture nationwide.

The ministry projected the initiative could create up to one million jobs by 2030, boost diaspora inflows and strengthen Nigeria’s global cultural influence.

The council called for deeper engagement with sub-national governments to ensure the project’s success. If all states and the FTC comply, the total contribution from sub-nationals will reach N7.4 billion.

Vice President Shettima, while welcoming the adoption of 112 as the single emergency number, urged governors to accelerate reform delivery, describing the decision as a test of the state’s responsiveness to citizens in distress.

He noted that NEC remains the nation’s economic engine room where federal and state governments must translate the Renewed Hope Agenda into tangible results, stressing that achieving a one-trillion-dollar economy or creating millions of jobs cannot rely on federal efforts alone.

The council also received an update from an ad hoc committee led by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah on the rehabilitation of police training institutions. It commended the committee and directed the Ministry of Finance to promptly release outstanding approved funds, while ensuring that training institutions across all geopolitical zones are covered in the first phase.

On polio eradication, NEC expanded its ad hoc committee to include seven additional high-risk states: Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Niger, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa. A second group of 12 states will begin vaccination efforts from May 2.

The Minister of State for Industry briefed the council on the National Industrial Policy, highlighting that the Nigeria Industrial Cluster Programme targets 76 clusters with potential revenue of $2.74 billion over 25 years. The council commended efforts to develop sub-national industrial policies aligned with the national framework.

According to the Accountant General of the Federation, the Excess Crude Account stood at $535,823.39 as of April 27, 2026, while the Stabilisation Account had N72.84 billion and the Natural Resources Account N158.19 billion.