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Awakan says storytelling and private-sector investment are key to unlocking Nigeria’s tourism potential and sustaining tourism products beyond government administrations.
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NTDA plans a dedicated tourism streaming platform to showcase Nigeria’s festivals, heritage and cultural stories and drive traffic to destinations.
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Awakan says Nigeria must change its international tourism narrative by showcasing its culture, arts, heritage and tourism products to the world.
September 20, (THEWILL) – The Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Ola Awakan, has identified storytelling and stronger private-sector participation as key to unlocking the economic value of Nigeria’s tourism assets.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News, Awakan said Nigeria had an abundance of cultural, heritage and tourism stories that remained largely untold, stressing that effectively packaging and telling those stories could attract visitors and investment to destinations across the country.
He said tourism should play a greater role in Nigeria’s economic diversification, describing the sector as a “gold mine” capable of creating value beyond the country’s traditional dependence on oil.
Awakan said his approach to tourism promotion was shaped by his background as a storyteller and his understanding of Nigeria’s culture, arts, traditions and tourism ecosystem.
He argued that tour guides, festivals, heritage sites, dances and indigenous traditions contain stories capable of presenting Nigeria differently to the international audience.
According to him, the government’s role should be to provide the right policy and regulatory environment while the private sector drives sustainable tourism businesses.
Awakan noted that government-led tourism initiatives could lose momentum when administrations change, but private-sector ownership could provide continuity because businesses have a direct commercial interest in sustaining tourism products.
He cited the involvement of private investors in destinations such as Olumo Rock and other emerging attractions as examples of how public-private collaboration could strengthen tourism development.
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The NTDA boss also disclosed plans for a dedicated tourism streaming platform that would serve as a one-stop digital hub for Nigeria’s tourism stories and destinations.
He said the platform would showcase stories from different parts of Nigeria, including festivals and cultural traditions, with the potential to stimulate interest and drive traffic to the destinations featured.
Awakan also highlighted the importance of changing international perceptions about Nigeria, saying the country’s rich culture, arts, heritage and tourism products should receive greater attention globally.
He added that his engagement with the China Tourism Academy was part of efforts to deepen international understanding of Nigeria’s tourism potential and open new opportunities for destination promotion.
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
