By Nkechi Eze
Federal Government has inaugurated an 8-man Inter-Ministerial Committee on African Global Festival Nigeria (AGLOFEST) in a bid to promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage and economic diversification drive in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
A statement signed 11 march 2025, and made available to Journalists by the Director, Information & Public Relations Segun Imohiosen disclosed that while inaugurating the Inter-Ministerial Committee, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, CON stated that the Committee was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the aim of diversifying Nigeria’s economy from oil-centrism to tapping into the potentials in the nation’s cultural gold mine to improve the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP).
SGF, who was represented at the inauguration by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (GSO), Dr. Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri assured that the African Global Festival will serve as a game changer in providing job opportunities to the teeming population of youths in the country.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee which has the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, CON as Chairman and the Permanent Secretary, GSO as a Member and Secretary, has membership drawn from the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy; Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment; Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC); Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Department of State Services; and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Speaking earlier, the Convener of the African Global Festival Nigeria (AGLOFEST), Dr. Mac Alabi Babatunde said that when fully harnessed, the African Global Festival will in the next five years, yield around $20 billion worth of investment into the various sectors of the creative economy. He added that the goal of the AGLOFEST is beyond celebrating the nation’s cultural music and dance; it is also about discussing business opportunities available in Nigeria where people in the Diaspora could invest.
