The Plateau Business Owners Council (PLABOC) has strengthened its relationship with the Plateau State Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Hospitality, following a strategic engagement aimed at creating new opportunities for businesses and strengthening public-private sector collaboration across the state.

The PLABOC delegation led by its President Mr Kim Ndoh held a productive meeting with the Honourable Commissioner, members of the Ministry’s administrative team and Directors to explore ways business owners can participate in government programs and contribute to the growth of Plateau’s tourism, culture and hospitality ecosystem.

The visit was also aimed at understanding government initiatives affecting businesses, identifying areas of collaboration, and establishing a stronger working relationship between PLABOC and the Ministry.

Welcoming the delegation, the Ministry acknowledged the important role of business owners in driving the success of the tourism sector and contributing to the broader economic development of Plateau State.

The Secretary-General of PLABOC appreciated the Ministry for receiving the delegation before introducing members of the team and giving each participant an opportunity to highlight their businesses and areas of operation.

He subsequently explained the purpose of the visit, as outlined in the letter presented to the Ministry, and shared PLABOC’s mission and vision. The President of PLABOC further shed light on the council’s objectives and ongoing plans to bring more business owners across Plateau State under a stronger network of collaboration and support.

The Commissioner expressed delight at seeing a significant number of young entrepreneurs among the PLABOC delegation, noting the importance of youth participation in building the state’s economy.

Government Pledges Support for Business Growth

The Commissioner emphasized the Plateau State Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment where businesses can establish, operate and expand.

According to the Ministry, government support goes beyond infrastructure development to include policies, systems and mechanisms designed to make it easier for businesses to thrive.

Some of the areas of support highlighted during the engagement include improved access to land and property for business purposes, rebates of approximately 50 percent on certain property-related processes, faster land documentation and processing, and support mechanisms for businesses seeking financing and collateral.

The Ministry also noted ongoing collaboration with financial institutions to improve access to funding for businesses.

The Commissioner encouraged business owners to take advantage of existing government programmes and opportunities rather than relying solely on direct financial assistance from government.

Creative Industry Gets Special Attention

The importance of the creative industry also featured prominently during the meeting.

The Commissioner disclosed that the government is developing support structures aimed at helping creatives build sustainable businesses and compete effectively in local and international markets.

Discussions included plans for a purpose-designed creative facility, known as The Standard Building, which is expected to provide workspace and access to support services for creative entrepreneurs.

The proposed facility is intended to create an environment where creatives can develop their skills, grow their businesses and serve clients locally and globally.

The Commissioner urged creative entrepreneurs to position themselves for opportunities by improving the quality of their products and services while maintaining international standards in professionalism, delivery and customer experience.

December Declared Month of Tourism in Plateau

Another major highlight of the engagement was the announcement that December has been declared the Month of Tourism in Plateau State.

The Ministry encouraged businesses operating within the tourism and hospitality ecosystem to strategically position themselves to benefit from the activities and programmes expected during the period.

The Commissioner stressed that entrepreneurs should not wait for government to provide direct financial support but should identify opportunities created by government programmes and develop products and services capable of meeting the needs of tourists, visitors and participants.

The Ministry also indicated that a comprehensive programme map containing activities planned for the tourism month would be shared with business stakeholders, enabling them to identify areas where they can participate and position their businesses.

The engagement between PLABOC and the Ministry marks an important step towards deeper public-private sector collaboration, with both sides expressing a commitment to creating an environment where Plateau businesses, particularly young entrepreneurs and creatives, can thrive.

The partnership is expected to open up new avenues for collaboration, business participation and economic opportunities while supporting the growth of Plateau State’s tourism, culture, hospitality and wider private sector.

For more than three decades, Nigeria’s Super Falcons were the standard of African women’s football.

Ten Women’s Africa Cup of Nations titles. Every FIFA Women’s World Cup from the beginning of the competition. Generations of players who dominated the continent.

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But that era has now reached a disturbing turning point.

For the first time in the history of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Nigeria will not be at the tournament.

South Africa’s 2–1 victory over the Super Falcons in Casablanca on Thursday ended Nigeria’s final route to the 2027 World Cup.

But perhaps this should not be viewed simply as a failure of the Super Falcons.

Perhaps it is the clearest evidence yet that the rest of Africa has finally caught up.

Look at Malawi.

The Scorchers were appearing at the WAFCON for the first time in 2026. They did not come merely to make up the numbers. They reached the semi-finals and secured Malawi’s historic first-ever Women’s World Cup qualification.

Look at Morocco.

The country has invested heavily in women’s football, and AS FAR has become a continental force, winning the CAF Women’s Champions League in 2025 and earning the right to represent Africa at FIFA’s inaugural Women’s Champions Cup.

Look at South Africa.

Banyana Banyana have transformed themselves from challengers into African champions and have now defeated Nigeria when a World Cup place was on the line.

And across the continent, CAF says women’s football is being strengthened through coaching education, better administration, grassroots development, refereeing and more structured domestic leagues.

This is the part Nigerians must understand.

Africa did not wait for Nigeria to remain dominant.

Other countries started building.

For years, Nigeria had an enormous advantage because many of our best players grew up playing together for long periods, particularly through the domestic system and national-team pathways.

The Super Falcons of previous generations were not simply eleven talented Nigerians assembled for a tournament.

They were products of a football culture that continuously produced players.

Today, that advantage is much smaller.

And there is another uncomfortable reality: Nigerian players are increasingly finding opportunities in women’s leagues outside Nigeria, while African leagues are becoming more organised and competitive.

CAF’s Women’s Champions League has also created a continental platform with meaningful financial rewards; participating clubs received at least $150,000 in the 2024 edition, while the winners received $600,000.

So perhaps the question is no longer:

“Why did the Super Falcons fail?”

The bigger question is:

“Why did Nigeria stop developing faster than the countries chasing us?”

We should support the Falcons.

We should respect the players.

We should recognise their achievements.

But we must also recognise what this moment represents.

Nigeria has won ten WAFCON titles. That history is extraordinary.

But history cannot qualify a team for the next World Cup.

Systems do.

Leagues do.

Academies do.

Coaching structures do.

Investment does.

Player development does.

And if Nigeria does not rebuild those foundations, the Super Falcons’ absence from Brazil may not remain a once-in-history event.

THE SUPER FALCONS HAVE NOT SUDDENLY BECOME A BAD TEAM. AFRICA HAS SIMPLY STOPPED WAITING FOR NIGERIA.

The real alarm is not that Nigeria lost to South Africa.

The real alarm is that the countries Nigeria used to look down on are now building football systems capable of defeating Nigeria when it matters most.

This should not be a blame game.

It should be a wake-up call.

NIGERIA DID NOT LOSE WOMEN’S FOOTBALL IN ONE MATCH. WE MAY HAVE BEEN LOSING THE ADVANTAGE FOR YEARS.