Plans are finalized for the inaugural stakeholder engagement, a collaborative initiative by the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA) and the Calabar Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CALCCIMA). Scheduled for Friday, October 10, 2025, the event will kick off with a focus on the vital tourism sector.
In preparation for this significant event, Great Ogban, Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of CRSMEDA, and Justina Ovat, Vice President of Tourism for CALCCIMA, paid a working visit to Prince Ojoi Ekpenyong, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Cross River State Tourism Bureau, at his office in Calabar.
The discussions during the visit centered on strategically harnessing the vast potentials of the tourism sector, reviewing ongoing state government efforts to support local businesses, and fostering a robust collaboration between CRSMEDA, CALCCIMA, and the Tourism Bureau. This partnership aims to consolidate and expand on the current administration’s achievements in the tourism sector through the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development, said Great Ogban.
The Tourism Bureau Chief, Prince Ojoi Ekpenyong, expressed his strong readiness for the collaboration, which he lauded as a “solutions strategy.” He highlighted the state government’s commitment, revealing that Fifty Million Naira (₦50,000,000) has already been disbursed in grants to businesses within the hospitality sector as a crucial stimulus package. Prince Ekpenyong further outlined plans to annually elevate 50 hotels and restaurants, propelling the state back to its position as the leading tourism destination in Nigeria.
In a move to strengthen community-led conservation, Prince Ekpenyong also revealed the impending creation of the Community Tourism Association. This association, primarily comprising local hunters, will be instrumental in providing grassroots protection for the state’s green areas, which astonishingly account for 45% of Nigeria’s total tree cover. He concluded by emphasizing the comprehensiveness of the state’s tourism database, underscoring Cross River’s advanced readiness for strategic partnerships and growth.
