President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Mr. Ola Awakan, for deploying immersive storytelling to rebrand and promote Nigeria’s tourism potential on the global stage.
The commendation was delivered on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by the NTDA chief to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Reflecting on Awakan’s first year in office, President Tinubu praised the agency’s focus on collaboration, innovation, and creative storytelling, emphasizing that fresh strategies are essential to highlight the nation’s cultural assets and draw global investors.
During the session, Awakan secured presidential endorsement for Nigeria’s official participation at the 2026 World Travel Market (WTM) in London.
Underscoring the importance of the London trade show, Awakan noted that the international gathering will serve as a launchpad for domestic economic growth.
“The platform will enable us to showcase the country’s destinations, build strategic partnerships, and attract investment into the sector as part of broader efforts to strengthen tourism’s contribution to economic diversification,” the NTDA chief stated.
Awakan also briefed the President on reforms aimed at driving job creation and aligning the sector with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. High-level discussions centered on structural fixes, including plans to reactivate the Presidential Council on Tourism.
To mark the visit, Awakan decorated President Tinubu with the NTDA Tourism Ambassador muffler and presented a strategic policy document titled Tourism as a Strategic Instrument for Economic Diversification and National Development.
