LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigeria’s tourism industry will need sustained partnerships, stronger public-private coordination and deeper international engagement to compete effectively in the global travel market, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of NTT Global Destinations, Elizabeth Agboola, has said.
Agboola made the call while speaking on the need to reposition Nigeria as a serious tourism destination rather than a market driven mainly by occasional events, diaspora visits and seasonal travel demand. She said long-term collaboration among government agencies, diplomatic missions, destination managers, airlines, hospitality operators and private investors was essential to unlocking the sector’s full potential.
According to her, tourism should no longer be seen only as leisure, but as a tool for economic exchange, cultural diplomacy and international cooperation. She said platforms such as tourism diplomacy roundtables could help connect Nigerian operators with foreign missions, investors and global travel institutions, while also improving the country’s visibility in international markets.
Industry stakeholders have repeatedly argued that Nigeria has strong tourism assets, including cultural festivals, heritage sites, music, film, cuisine, beaches, wildlife, fashion and a large diaspora market. However, they say poor infrastructure, weak destination marketing, insecurity concerns, inconsistent policy implementation and limited investment have prevented the country from converting those assets into sustained tourism revenue.
Agboola said Nigeria must move beyond short-term promotional campaigns and develop practical frameworks that support destination packaging, service standards, investor confidence and reliable visitor experiences. She also called for stronger links between tourism and other sectors such as aviation, entertainment, technology, transport and trade.
The President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria, Dr. Aliyu Badaki, also stressed the importance of collaboration among government institutions, the organised private sector and international partners. He said the industry could not grow sustainably without coordinated planning and policies that give investors confidence.
Nigeria’s tourism and creative sectors have gained wider international attention in recent years, helped by the global reach of Afrobeats, Nollywood, fashion and cultural events. But stakeholders say that visibility must be matched with better infrastructure, improved security, easier travel processes and more professional destination management.
Tourism experts say long-term partnerships could help Nigeria attract investment into hotels, resorts, museums, cultural districts, eco-tourism, conference facilities and digital travel platforms. They also argue that states should work more closely with the federal government and private operators to develop bankable tourism products.
For Agboola, the path forward requires consistency. She said Nigeria has the cultural depth and market size to become a major tourism hub, but success will depend on whether stakeholders can build durable partnerships that outlast individual events, administrations and promotional campaigns.
