UN Tourism partners Eko Tourism Foundation to launch a tourism academy in Lagos, aiming to position the city as Africa’s top tourism destination
UN Tourism and the Eko Tourism Foundation (ETF) have announced plans to establish a tourism academy in Lagos, a landmark initiative designed to position the state as Africa’s leading tourism hub.
The decision was reached during a high-level roundtable meeting between both organisations in Lagos, where the two parties agreed to collaborate on promoting the city as a global destination and advancing ETF’s goals of showcasing Lagos’ vast tourism potential.
Leading the ETF delegation was Alhaji Lai Mohammed, former Minister of Information and Culture and current Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and Governing Council.
The UN Tourism delegation was headed by its Secretary-General, Mr Zurab Pololikashvili, who commended Lagos for its vibrancy and cultural dynamism.
Pololikashvili highlighted Lagos’ distinctive strengths, citing its fashion, music, festivals, gastronomy, and nightlife as major assets.
He said UN Tourism would partner with ETF to develop Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) infrastructure to boost international tourism inflows.
He also accepted an invitation to serve as Patron and honorary member of the Eko Tourism Foundation, acknowledging the foundation’s commitment to sustainable tourism growth across Nigeria.
In his remarks, Alhaji Lai Mohammed argued that global perceptions of insecurity in Nigeria were exaggerated, noting that many foreign tourists who had recently visited the country expressed surprise at the contrast between media reports and their positive experiences.
He pointed to the growing phenomenon of “Detty December” as proof of Lagos’ global recognition and appeal, revealing that the city hosts over 20,000 events monthly.
This, he said, underscores the urgent need for modern event centres and hospitality facilities to support its creative and entertainment sectors.
According to Mohammed, the proposed academy and supporting infrastructure would help top Nigerian music stars such as Burna Boy, Davido, and Wizkid host more major concerts locally, keeping tourism revenue within the country.
He explained that the Eko Tourism Foundation was created to provide an inclusive platform for public and private sector collaboration — one that promotes Destination Lagos and, by extension, Destination Nigeria, as engines of sustainable socio-economic development.
Other members of the ETF delegation included Erelu Abiola Dosumu, Dr Tunde Lawrenson, Mr Karl Hala, Ms Abiola Adelan, and Ms Sharon Ashinze, while the UN Tourism Secretary-General was accompanied by Elcia Grandcourt, Shirin El Tayan, and Kojo Bentum-Williams.
The collaboration marks a new chapter for Lagos, signalling its readiness to transform into a major hub for global tourism education, cultural exchange, and creative industry growth.
Business3 years ago
