Lagos Mobilises LGAs, LCDAs to Drive Grassroots Tourism Revolution

In a strategic bid to decentralise tourism development and unlock the untapped economic potentials of local communities, the Lagos State Government has formally engaged Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to act as primary promoters of cultural assets. This paradigm shift aims to transition Lagos from a state that merely hosts mega-events to one where every neighborhood actively curates and monetises its historical and cultural uniqueness.

Speaking during a high-level strategic engagement with local government supervisors, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Idris Aregbe, emphasised that the state’s ambition to become Africa's leading tourism destination cannot be achieved through top-down policies alone. Instead, he argued that sustainable tourism must begin at the grassroots, where the authentic heritage, culinary arts, and historical narratives of Lagos reside.

According to state officials, the initiative is designed to empower local administrators to identify and document historical landmarks, community festivals, and indigenous crafts within their jurisdictions. By doing so, the state hopes to build a comprehensive, digitally accessible tourism map that guides domestic and international visitors beyond the traditional commercial hubs of Ikeja and Victoria Island into the rich cultural tapestries of Badagry, Epe, and Ikorodu.