Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, the Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, is a consummate and renown Tourism management technocrat in Nigeria and West Africa. Born on the 10th of May 1970 in Argungu in Kebbi State, North Western Nigeria. He hails from a royal family. And was turbaned Turaki of Kebbi by His Royal Highness, the Emir of Argungu, on 5th February, 2011, after the passing-away of his father.
The Director General of NIHOTOUR is roundly educated in Nigeria and Europe in the fields of Social Sciences and Tourism Management. He obtained a National Diploma in Business Administration from Kebbi State Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi in 1992. A Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Political Science from Usmanu Dan Fodio University, Sokoto in 1997. And a Post- Graduate Diploma (PGD) on Tourism Policy and Strategy from Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan, Italy in 2006.
Alhaji Nura is an avid tourism professional and destination promoter per excellence. He is the mastermind behind the successful product “ARGUNGU POLO TOURNAMENT & CULTURAL FETE” a tourism product he created in 2017. The event has developed to the level of attracting over 100,000 players, artistes and spectators from Nigeria, Niger and Benin Republic for a period of 5 days annually. Eventually, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa was instrumental to the revamping of the world-famous Argungu Fishing Festival, after a decade of the event no-show.
Alhaji Nura Kangiwa previously held different front-line and top executive positions in Nigeria’s tourism public and private sectors including:
- Vice-President, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), North West Zone (2017 – 2019)
- Senior Special Assistant on ‘Tourism Matters’ to the Governor of Kebbi State (2016 – 2018)
- Head of Marketing and Public Relations – Abuja Carnival 2005/2006/2007 (Abuja Carnival won Best Tourism Innovation in 2006 by the Commonwealth Secretariat)
- Member, Nigerian Tourism Development Master Plan Implementation Committee – 2007/2008/2009
- Secretary, Media & Publicity, Federal Committee on Argungu Fishing Festival – 2006- 2009
- Secretary, Entertainment Sub-Committee, Presidential Inauguration Committee (YarAdua) – 2007
- Desk Officer World Tourism Day (WTD) 2006/2007/2008
- Secretary, Exhibition Sub- Committee, Nigeria @ 50 2009/2010
- Secretary, Publicity Sub Committee- United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Commission for Africa, Meeting in Abuja – 2002
- Secretary, Media & Publicity Sub Committee- 2nd Commonwealth Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in Abuja – 2005
- Secretary, Publicity Sub- Committee UNWTO Regional Conference on Tourism Communications (TOURCOM), Lagos- 2005
Alhaji Nura is an ardent Polo player and is currently the 2nd Vice President of the Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF).