The Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr. Ola Awakan, has been appointed Chairman of the African Travel Commission (ATC).
The announcement was made during high-level engagements following the ATC’s inaugural summit in Lagos. The ATC serves as a strategic platform to promote intra-African travel, strengthen partnerships, advocate progressive policies, and position Africa as a unified global destination.
Stakeholders say Dr. Awakan’s emergence as Chairman builds on Nigeria’s longstanding contributions to global tourism development, including its historic role in shaping international tourism cooperation and the evolution of the World Tourism Organization.
In his acceptance speech, the NTDA boss pledged to drive sustainable tourism growth, enhance competitiveness, deepen cultural exchange, and unlock broader economic opportunities across the continent through strong public–private collaboration.
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He further expressed optimism for Nigeria’s tourism sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that Nigeria is well positioned to lead efforts aimed at improving visa openness, strengthening air connectivity, and fostering regional integration. These priorities were echoed at the February ATC Summit co-hosted by NTDA and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where stakeholders called for coordinated action to accelerate travel and tourism across Africa.
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Established in 1965, African Travel Commission was revived in Ghana in 2021 as a non-profit under Executive Director, Dr. Lucky George.
