C' River Micro Finance, Chambers of Commerce, Tourism Bureau Partner on Local Business Development
Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA), Calabar Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CALCCIMA) and Cross River State Tourism Bureau have concluded arrangements for the inaugural stakeholder engagement for the development of the tourism sector.
The collaborative initiative with a focus on the tourism sector, is scheduled for October 10, 2025, in Calabar.
In preparation for event, Great Ogban, director general/CEO, CRSMEDA, and Justina Ovat, Vice president, Tourism, CALCCIMA, paid a working visit to Ojoi Ekpenyong, managing director/CEO, Cross River State Tourism Bureau, at his office in Calabar.
The stakeholders among others will harness 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.
The partnership, according to Ogban, aims to consolidate and expand on the current administration’s achievements in the tourism sector through the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development.
On his part, Ekpenyong, expressed readiness for the collaboration, which he lauded as a solutions strategy.
He highlighted the state government’s commitment, revealing that ₦50,000,000 has already been disbursed in grants to businesses within the hospitality sector as a crucial stimulus package. 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, Ekpenyong also revealed the impending creation of the Community Tourism Association.
The association, primarily comprising local hunters, will be instrumental in providing grassroots protection for the state’s green areas, which astonishingly account for 45 percent of Nigeria’s total tree cover.
He emphasised the need for a comprehensiveness of the state’s tourism database, underscoring Cross River’s advanced readiness for strategic partnerships and growth.
