The General Manager of Kogi State Hotels and Tourism Board, Hon. Philip Orebiyi, says the agency is aligning its 2026 programmes with emerging federal tourism and cultural policies to strengthen regulation and economic growth in the state.
Hon. Orebiyi stated this while defending the Board’s 2026 budget before the Kogi State House of Assembly.
He said the state government’s core interest is to stabilize Kogi’s cultural identity and economy by keying into national frameworks that will soon be enacted and implemented.
According to him, the hospitality and cultural industries require proper regulation to thrive, stressing that cultural identity remains central to sustainable development.
He assured lawmakers that, with budgetary approval, the Board would reflect the priorities in concrete programmes.
The General Manager recalled last year’s Kogi International Carnival, noting that the event is being reviewed to address identified gaps.
He noted that the carnival would return in 2026 as a biannual programme, with plans to transition it to an annual event based on performance outcomes.
Hon. Orebiyi also emphasized the creative nature of tourism, highlighting storytelling as a tool to project Kogi positively and counter negative narratives.
While acknowledging pockets of security challenges, the General Manager maintained that Kogi State remains relatively safe within the North Central region.
He assured the Assembly that necessary tourism laws would be amended in 2026, in line with national policy reforms, to reposition the sector for growth and investment.
