Lai Mohammed, the former Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Nigeria, has been appointed as the Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili. The announcement of his appointment took place during the opening session of the 66th UNWTO Commission for Africa (CAF) in Mauritius.
With seven years of valuable experience and active involvement in the world tourism body, Mohammed brings a wealth of knowledge to his new role. Notably, he played crucial roles in organizing the 61st UNWTO CAF Meetings in Nigeria in 2018 and the inaugural UNWTO Global Conference on Linking Tourism, Culture, and Creative Industries in Lagos the following year. His expertise is expected to support Pololikashvili’s objective of making Africa a prominent region in the global tourism economy through the Agenda for Africa program.
In accepting the appointment, Lai Mohammed expressed his deep gratitude for the trust placed in him by the UNWTO Secretary General. He acknowledged that this marked the first time he would attend a UNWTO function as a private individual after serving as Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism for the past seven years. Mohammed conveyed his respect and appreciation to the leaders of member states, especially those from Africa, for their support and friendship.
As the first Nigerian to hold this position, Mohammed expressed his honor in guiding the development of tourism in Nigeria and the African region in a responsible and sustainable manner. He emphasized the region’s diversity and potential in natural and human resources, including tourism, culture, creative industries, and technology.
The responsibilities of the Special Advisor include assisting in developing a strategy for the sustainable and safe restart of tourism post COVID-19 and providing advice to the UNWTO Secretary General on information and culture-related matters.
Lai Mohammed will be responsible for preparing relevant reports and research documents in line with UNWTO’s principles, accompanying and advising the Secretary General during his visits, and proposing actions for public relations in alignment with the organization’s priorities.
