The lawmakers said the centre is not operating at its full potential as a revenue-generating cultural and tourism asset.
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy on Thursday urged the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy to make the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Art (formerly known as the National Arts Theatre) fully functional to boost revenue generation.
The committee, comprising senators and members of the House of Representatives, expressed concern about the underutilisation of the national monument, noting that the country is losing substantial revenue from a monument that should ordinarily serve as a major tourist centre.
The Chairman of the joint committee, Ogoshi Onawo, made the remarks when the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, appeared before the panel to defend her ministry's 2026 budget proposal.
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Mr Onawo, who represents Nasarawa South Senatorial District, maintained that urgent steps must be taken to make the National Theatre operational in order to increase government revenue.
"When the cultural industry was being respected during the Hubert Ogunde period, the national troupe, they won accolades across the world and that is enough to attract a lot of revenue or investment.
"Now, the National Theatre is being handed over to us by the Bankers' Committee, which is still holding it because lots and lots of money is being lost as long as that place is locked. You're losing billions of naira every day. Something must be done to unlock it, to open the place to the public so that you can get a lot of revenue," he said.
The National Theatre in Lagos is one of Nigeria's iconic cultural landmarks and a major symbol of the country's artistic heritage. It was constructed in 1976 and commissioned in 1977 to host the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC '77), a global cultural event that brought together thousands of artists and performers from Africa and the diaspora.
Designed to serve as the hub of Nigeria's creative and performing arts sector, the complex boasts a main bowl with a seating capacity of about 5,000, alongside smaller halls, exhibition spaces, conference rooms and rehearsal studios. For decades, it functioned as the epicentre of Nigeria's theatre, music, dance and film industries, hosting major cultural festivals, stage plays, state functions and international performances.
However, over the years, the facility suffered neglect, poor maintenance and under-utilisation, leading to a gradual decline in its infrastructure and relevance. Despite its strategic location in Lagos, regarded as Nigeria's commercial and creative capital, the theatre failed to operate at its full potential as a revenue-generating cultural and tourism asset.
In 2020, the federal government approved the renovation and concession of the complex under a public-private partnership, with the Bankers' Committee committing funds to its restoration and transformation into a world-class creative and entertainment hub.
The redevelopment plan includes upgrading performance spaces, creating film production hubs, fashion clusters, music studios, and other creative industry facilities to boost employment and economic diversification.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu renamed the edifice as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Cultural and Creative Arts in honour of the Nobel Laureate.
The Bankers' Committee has since completed the redevelopment and handed the edifice over to the federal government.
Other countries
Mr Onawo stressed that some developed countries with fewer tourist attractions than Nigeria generate more revenue through tourism. He questioned why the ministry could not take similar steps.
"The minister just mentioned some tourist sites that we have in this country. Some countries don't have the kind of resources that we have, but they're doing very well through tourism and even Saudi Arabia, that its naturally rich through oil, religious tourism and some other countries are looking at other avenues of increasing their earnings through tourism. Why can't we?" he asked.
He referenced the Argungu Fishing Festival in Kebbi State, urging the ministry to modernise it to attract visitors from across the country and beyond. He also called for the development of the Yankari Game Reserve and the Obudu Cattle Ranch.
"Argungun, as far as I'm concerned, has been like that for centuries. If you can modernise it, if you can make it look modern, lots of people will want to come and see what is happening there. Yankari is almost dead. The road to Obudu is a problem. If the federal government can do something about it, it's an avenue that can earn us lots of money and respect. We're endowed through all aspects of revenue-earning agencies.
"The gallery of arts is there, the National Council for Arts and Culture, the National Orientation Agency, Institute for Cultural Orientation; these are all agencies that can earn you money. Believe me, without oil, through your money, this country can survive. With a better security situation, we can earn a lot of money," he said.
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Wants N1trn for 2026
In her response, Mrs Musawa lamented shortfalls in releases under the 2025 budget, which she said hindered the ministry from executing several planned projects.
She proposed a total allocation of N1 trillion for the ministry in the 2026 budget to adequately fund the tourism and creative economy sectors.
"If we have the ability to get N1 trillion for the ministry, honestly, that would be more than enough for us to be able to create that diversification," she said.
However, the committee chairman suggested that the ministry's budget could be pegged between N1 trillion and N5 trillion to achieve more significant results and enhance revenue generation in the long term.
"I'm thinking that if they can provide N1 to N5 trillion for you, because Aso Rock alone is an asset that people would want to come see. Go to the top of it, and pay money for it. And Obudu. N500 million might not be enough. If you have N1 to N5 trillion, if they can just do that for you and take you off the budget, I'm sure in the next two, three years, this country will be happy for it," he said.
