Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Nigeria and Saint Lucia have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to foster robust partnerships in tourism, the Orange Economy, and investment in the creative industries.
The agreement was formally signed on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s official visit to the Caribbean nation. This was contained in a statement signed by Nneka Ikem-Anibeze, Ph.D, SA Media and Publicity, FMACCE.
The partnership aims to leverage Nigeria’s globally celebrated creative industries, including Nollywood, Afrobeats, fashion, and storytelling, alongside Saint Lucia’s world-class tourism and community-based tourism models. The agreement promotes bilateral participation in cultural festivals, exchange programs, fashion collaborations, and museum development initiatives.
The MOU will focus on the co-development of creative economy programs, youth-centered exchanges, and strengthening of value chains for fashion, textiles, and artisanal industries. Plans are underway for joint participation in major cultural festivals, including Saint Lucia’s renowned Jazz Festival.
Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa described the occasion as the dawn of a new era in Africa-Caribbean relations.
She emphasized that the MOU offers a strategic framework to leverage complementary strengths.
“Nigeria has mastered the art of creative industry and culture, from Nollywood to music to storytelling. Saint Lucia, on the other hand, has perfected the tourism model. This collaboration allows us to exchange expertise and co-develop our capacities in both sectors. This partnership can generate immense value for both our countries, but more importantly, it can inspire the global Black community,”Musawa stated.
Saint Lucia’s Minister for Tourism, Culture, and the Creative Industries, Dr. Ernest Hilaire described the agreement as a formal reconnection of peoples separated by history but united by heritage.
“This agreement is about formally re-establishing those ancestral links.
From music and dance to fashion and sports, Nigeria has been an inspiration. We have enjoyed Nigerian talent at our Jazz Festival in recent years, and this MOU gives us the opportunity to deepen that relationship.”
The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy reaffirms its commitment to fostering strategic alliances that celebrate shared heritage, promote people-to-people connections, and unlock new opportunities for cultural and economic growth across the Global South.
END
