During my days at Abercrombie & Fitch, Maria, a co-worker of mine, once asked me, “What is it like growing up in Nigeria?” And I succinctly replied, “Imagine a place where every street corner tells a story, and the vibrant energy of the people is as captivating as the scenic landscapes”.
Dear readers, welcome to Nigeria, a nation of perfect imperfections. The phrase “Home Sweet Home” reminds me of Nigeria. The allure is in the unique experiences it offers, from the traffic hawkers, the fruit sellers pushing their wheelbarrows on the sidewalk, the local restaurants with their eccentric names on the buildings as you drive by, and the danfo bus conductors shouting locations to their passengers. I wish most people could experience Nigeria at least once in their lifetime and see what the rave is about.
Curious reactions and global perception
Lately, I’ve observed that the reaction to my Nigerian identity varies from curious to cautious. Curious for those who love the culture, excitement for those who have visited, and bewilderment for those who have never been, and are scared because of global perception. This inconsistency stems largely from how international media portrays our nation. It makes me wonder why Nigeria remains an undiscovered gem with its unique charm. Why isn’t my home country well-known as a tourist destination worldwide? Join me as we unravel this intriguing question!
One major driver of tourism is international perception. While we have over 146,000 tourist establishments in Nigeria spread across the different states, negative perceptions and challenges plague these attractions, such as security & safety concerns, low-quality infrastructure, and undesirable media representation. Our challenges overshadow our tourism potential because media focuses heavily on the former while further highlighting the political instability and economic issues which continue to hinder growth.
Growth and potential
While there has been some growth in Nigeria’s tourism sector over the last decade, especially with the development of social media in highlighting positive stories and tourism successes, this growth is still not at par with its potential, especially in a country with a good climate, friendly population and substantial natural resources. We can take a leaf from global players like Dubai (welcoming 17.15 million visitors in 2023), who built an entire ecosystem on tourism and have proven that tourism can become a sustainable revenue earner competing favourably with the manufacturing sector, thereby offering great opportunities for developing countries like Nigeria.
I am particularly happy to write that the opportunities within the Nigerian tourism sector are enormous and hold significant potential because of the country’s diverse cultural heritage, natural landscapes, and historical sites. The GDP contributed from tourism in Nigeria in 2023 is about $27.09 billion (an increase of only 6.8% from the $25.36 billion recorded in 2022). Comparatively, South Africa’s tourism sector contributed $41 billion, while Dubai’s tourism sector contributed $59.89 billion, highlighting Nigeria’s untapped potential. This potential for economic growth through tourism is a reason for optimism and support.
Opportunities in Nigerian tourism
Nigeria already has everything it needs to sell, and the next step is to focus and build, as most countries prioritising tourism do. We can focus on four tourism elements: eco-tourism, cultural tourism, business tourism, and diaspora tourism.
Eco-tourism: Exploring natural reserves and parks
With Eco-tourism, Nigeria can capitalise on its natural reserves and parks. An example is the Yankari National Park in the south-central part of the Bauchi state. In 1956, it started as a game reserve, but later authorities designated it as a national park. Yankari covers a landmass of about 2,244 sq km and houses the largest population of elephants in Nigeria. It also has a warm geothermal spring that maintains a constant temperature of 31 degrees Celsius, providing a pleasant bath experience for visitors seeking relaxation amidst nature.
“If one tour of Afi Mountain charged N50,000 per head, with an average of 100 guests per day equals N5,000,000 per day, and N150,000,000 every month. It comes to about N1.8 trillion annually.”
Another gem Nigeria could use to secure tourists is the Obudu Mountain resort, which has gotten more popular over the years with the efforts of Governor Donald Duke and is now one of our notable destinations. Obudu Ranch is located close to the Cameroon border in Cross River state. It is about 1576 metres above sea level, giving it a temperate climate, a rarity in Nigeria that makes it attractive to local and international tourists. Obudu Ranch also has a standout feature with its cable cars, taking visitors on the longest cable ride in Africa. It offers a scenic 4 km ride from the base to the top of the plateau, showcasing stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
What sets Nigeria’s tourism offerings apart is the unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and warm hospitality, as experienced by Sarah, an acquaintance and a recent visitor to Nigeria from the UK, who described her trip to Obudu cattle ranch as “a breath-taking encounter with nature’s untouched beauty”.
We also have other natural reserves and parks like Gashaka—Gumti National Park in Taraba, which houses the African golden cat—a rare species, Okomu National Park in Edo, and the Lekki Conservation Centre in Lagos, to name a few. These natural reserves showcase our biodiversity and offer ample opportunities for wildlife conservation & sustainable development. I love financial models, and a quick girl maths showed me how much we could generate by making these reserves viable for tourism. For instance, one tour of Afi Mountain charged N50,000 per head, with an average of 100 guests per day equals N5,000,000 per day, and N150,000,000 every month. It comes to about N1.8 trillion annually. That’s already the Cross Rivers state budget for better livelihood and infrastructure for locals and visitors while using a portion to further develop & maintain the reserves for more attraction.
Cultural tourism: Showcasing Nigeria’s rich traditions
We can also bank on cultural tourism by capitalising on popular festivals such as the Lagos Carnival, Osun-Osogbo Festival, and Ojude Oba Festival. Interestingly, both the 2023 and 2024 Ojude Oba festivals went viral and garnered attention because of the fashion coordination and cultural rituals shown online. Following the viral images that circulated social media from this year’s Ojude-Oba, my friend Michelle Atta Mills from Ghana reached out on Instagram to ask, “What celebration is this? It is always so pretty, and are the clothes different clan clothes?” I immediately picked up her curiosity and interest in Nigerian festivals from her question.
These festivals attract over 250,000 attendees each, with tourists making up less than 10%. They showcase our diverse traditions: music, dance, and cuisine. So, Nigeria can position Ojude Oba or Calabar Carnival with a goal of hosting over 1 million international tourists individually per year. This increase in business will have a positive impact on hotels, food markets, security companies, transportation, staff, concierge services, restaurants, and local businesses. Abroad events like the Crop Over in Barbados, Notting Hill Carnival in London and Saint Nicholas Parade in the Netherlands attract many people in the diaspora who want to experience cultural festivals from the local perspective. We can also position Nigerian cultural festivals to become enormous tourist attractions.
“Nigeria was the fastest growing start-up hub in the world, and Nigerians might not realise, but the world is watching”
Business tourism: Leveraging Nigeria’s economic hub status
I once met a German tech investor in Nigeria who marvelled at how I had navigated building a restaurant without experience. Most importantly, he pointed out how the average Nigerian had the potential for success, considering the low education infrastructure. “Nigeria was the fastest growing start-up hub in the world, and Nigerians might not realise, but the world is watching,” he stated. Whenever he comes to Nigeria, he says, “I leave with a sense of passion, excitement and motivation”.
We can leverage this unique positioning of Nigeria’s status as an economic hub to attract business travellers who are interested in manufacturing, data centres, call centres and other businesses that need a vast population and land mass. Through good planning, there is an opportunity for Nigeria to be a great economic business hub for the world, leading to more business tourism, especially with the rise in tech. (Fun fact – Tech giants Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey have visited Nigeria within the last five years).
Diaspora tourism: Reconnecting with roots
Another form of tourism to explore is diaspora tourism, which refers to travel undertaken by people to their ancestral homeland, often to reconnect with their cultural roots and explore their heritage. Even without data, I can tell that this is one of the most easily achievable opportunities to explore. During my 12 years in England, I witnessed first-hand every uncle, friend, cousin and aunt who had family ties to Nigeria get excited to come home, especially in December. They always looked forward to what was later became known as Detty December, which started as a yearly ritual for Nigerians living abroad to visit and explore their heritage.
Over time, this has become a major attractive phenomenon to people who aren’t even Nigerians. December records high sales, high traffic and high GDP through diaspora tourism as people come home to visit family, eat, travel, party and experience the rich culture. During this period, there are a lot of concerts, festivals, fashion exhibitions and art exhibitions, particularly in Lagos, to engage tourists.
Lagos: A prime destination
Lagos also has brilliant spots like Ilashe Beach and Ibeju Beach, which offer amazing boat rides. When you arrive on the islands, the locals usually take you to the beach house by quads or mini jeeps. Each time I visit, I can not help but take in the land mass and wonder, “Isn’t this similar to Magaluf town in Spain, or Lincoln Avenue in Miami or Camps Bay in South Africa?” I believe the development of these islands can sustain Lagos state if done right. I can already see it—malls, boat rides, quad rides, water sports, bicycles-only lanes, and shops selling locally produced brands like Lisa Folawiyo, Dye Lab, Tiffany Amber, and Wanni Fuga, as well as local beads, leather goods, arts and crafts, amusement parks, arcade and different restaurants with delicious, local cuisine. I predict that intentional development of this magnitude could generate trillions of naira in revenue and rapidly develop local businesses!
Developing tourist infrastructure
As exciting as it was to highlight some of these attractions, turning Nigeria into a major tourist destination has to rely on something other than our natural resources and a handful of people championing the little parts of it. We can only be achieve this by adopting a multifaceted approach that focuses on improving infrastructure, enhancing security, streamlining visa processes, launching targeted international marketing campaigns, and creating a supporting environment for tourists.
The private and public sectors must implement a clear strategy to develop and manage tourist attractions and facilities. Modernising the airports and improving the quality of roads while developing alternative and efficient public transport systems will further remove pressure from the roads and reduce the traffic stigma associated with being in commercial hubs like Lagos state. Nigeria will also need to invest in hotels, resorts and lodging facilities and support private businesses in ensuring these buildings are world class, connected and developed by international standards. Creating a more simplified visa process using visa-on-arrival schemes and e-visa systems for tourists will also encourage tourism. Other areas, such as security and safety measures, will need to be addressed by strengthening law enforcement, conducting digital campaigns around safety, and ensuring routes to tourism areas are well-protected and showcased successfully through testimonials and public campaigns.
Learning from successful models: Ghana and Rwanda
Nigeria can learn a few things from Ghana’s successful ‘’The Year Of The Return’’ in 2019. President Nana Akufo-Addo launched a PR campaign on a national level targeted at African Americans in the diaspora. To further attract tourists, Ghana built a new state-of-the-art airport and engaged in partnerships and collaborations with celebrities, international organisations and African diaspora groups. The administration also leveraged high-profile endorsements to create cultural and historical events throughout the year. These strategies, coupled with social media and digital marketing, led to a high GDP, increased tourism, and renewed connections between Ghana and the African Diaspora. The same can be said for what Rwanda achieved with its gorilla trekking initiative, which they promoted through a variety of strategic initiatives. They made intentional conservation efforts, developed luxury lodges and accommodations near gorilla trekking sites, improved the roads leading to the trekking sites for ease of access and safety, and promoted political stability. Rwanda coupled this with digital marketing and social media promotion of engaging content, testimonials and stunning visuals to attract more tourism. Over time, this has positioned Rwanda as a premier destination for gorilla trekking and added significant GDP and growth of tourism countries.
Embracing tourism for economic growth
If we follow suit and develop a simple strategy around developing infrastructure, marketing, safety, and visa access, the potential benefits of tourism to Nigeria are enormous. They include job creation, foreign exchange earnings, economic diversification, infrastructural development and local business growth. Tourism can help us preserve heritage, empower communities and foster cultural exchange with other countries worldwide. We need as much international goodwill as possible to leverage more investment and positively influence Nigeria’s economy and Africa.
While Nigeria is not ready for the world right now, we are prime for tourism development. We have the weather, population, natural resources, and creativity to curate tourist-worthy experiences. It is time for Nigeria to take bold steps towards becoming a top tourist destination. The world is waiting—let’s show them what we have to offer.
