The Lagos State Government has called for stronger collaboration with tour operators to unlock Nigeria’s vast tourism potential and accelerate the growth of domestic tourism, while reaffirming its commitment to creating an enabling environment for the sector to thrive.
The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, made the call through the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, Mrs. Bukola Agbaminoja, at the 10th Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), held at the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Hall, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, 9th July 2026.
Addressing stakeholders at the conference themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s Tourism Potential: Strengthening Tour Operators for Sustainable Destination Development,” the Commissioner emphasised that tour operators remain critical to transforming Nigeria’s tourism assets into viable economic opportunities.
According to her, although Nigeria is richly blessed with cultural heritage, historical landmarks, festivals, beaches, wildlife and a vibrant creative industry, these resources can only deliver economic value when professionally packaged, effectively marketed and made accessible to visitors.
She described tour operators as the vital link between tourism destinations and travellers, stressing that their role is indispensable in driving destination marketing, attracting investment and creating employment.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration to tourism development through the THEMES+ Agenda, noting that the State Government continues to invest in infrastructure, security, accessibility and tourism assets to improve visitor experiences.
She highlighted landmark tourism projects including the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, JJT Park, heritage sites in Badagry and the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Industrial Leather Hub in Mushin as strategic investments aimed at strengthening Lagos’ position as Africa’s leading tourism destination.
Mrs. Benson-Awoyinka also noted that Lagos hosts more than 200 festivals and tourism-related events annually, including the Eyo Festival, Lagos Fanti Carnival, E1 Boat Regatta, Lagos Seafood Festival and Art X Lagos, all of which continue to attract local and international visitors.
She urged NATOP to embrace professionalism, certification, continuous capacity development, digital transformation and innovative tourism products such as agro-tourism, medical tourism, culinary tourism and diaspora heritage tours.
The Commissioner further advocated improved access to finance, stronger public-private partnerships and greater adoption of digital platforms to enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian tour operators in the global tourism market.
She disclosed that Lagos State remains committed to working closely with development partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to strengthen digital connectivity while promoting the “Made-in-Lagos” and “Made-in-Nigeria” tourism brands.
Benson-Awoyinka also reiterated the State Government’s readiness to deepen collaboration with NATOP through festivals, trade missions, destination marketing initiatives and other strategic programmes, while encouraging stakeholders to intensify the “See Nigeria First” campaign to boost domestic tourism.
She challenged participants to move beyond dialogue by implementing practical strategies capable of translating Nigeria’s enormous tourism potential into measurable economic growth.
Congratulating NATOP on its 10th Annual General Meeting, she commended the Association for its consistency in promoting Nigeria’s tourism industry and thanked it for choosing Lagos as host for the landmark conference.
Earlier in her welcome address, NATOP President, Mrs. Bolaji Mustapha, described the conference as a celebration of the Association’s resilience and contributions to tourism development over the past decade.
She noted that Nigeria possesses extraordinary tourism assets but stressed that unlocking their full potential requires stronger institutions, empowered tour operators, innovation, strategic partnerships and sustainable destination management.
Mrs. Mustapha described tour operators as storytellers, destination ambassadors and key drivers of economic development whose activities contribute significantly to job creation, cultural preservation and community development.
She encouraged participants to leverage the conference to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships and develop practical solutions that would promote innovation and sustainable growth within the tourism sector.
The three-day conference featured panel discussions, workshops and networking sessions focusing on destination development, digital transformation, access to finance, professionalism and strategies for advancing domestic tourism through the “See Nigeria First” campaign.
The Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), established in 1993 by Mr. Eboboje Da Silva, is the umbrella body for tour operators and allied tourism service providers in Nigeria and has remained at the forefront of promoting tourism development across the country.
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