Cultural displays, student presentations and expert panels highlight urgent need for sector reform
Janefrances Chibuzor
Colour, culture and critical conversations shaped the 2025 African Hospitality and
Tourism Education Summit (AHTES) as hundreds gathered at the BWC Hotel, Victoria Island in Lagos. From panel discussions to student presentations, the event underscored the central role of education in tourism. Among those who captured the spotlight was Dr. Badaki Aliyu, who at the time was the First Deputy President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), and who days later would be elected as the new FTAN President during the association’s elective AGM in Abuja.
In his remarks to Berexnews at the summit, Dr. Aliyu made it clear that no serious growth can take place in the tourism industry without a solid educational foundation. “This event means a lot to me because it centres on education,” he said. “Many people get into tourism without truly understanding it. That’s why some fail. I’m glad to see young people here today trying to learn. They must be properly trained if they hope to take over from us tomorrow.”
The event, held under the theme “Empowering Africa’s Growth Through Hospitality and Tourism Education,” brought together stakeholders from across the country. The atmosphere inside the BWC Conference Centre was vibrant, as cultural troupes from Nike Art Gallery performed thrilling displays of dance and traditional music that drew loud applause. School representatives, tourism students, hospitality operators and government officials mingled across exhibition booths and filled every seat during the panel sessions.
In a packed hall of participants eager to share ideas and chart a new course for the sector, the conversations turned consistently towards the challenges of weak policy implementation, lack of trained manpower, and poor collaboration across countries in the region. Mr Aliyu, who has spent decades in the sector, did not mince words in addressing these gaps.
“Before you can sell anything, you must first develop the product,” he told Berexnews. “And if travel between countries is hard, tourism won’t grow. People must be taught from school about the value of visiting new places, so when they have the means, they already know what tourism means.”
tripartite panel sessions formed the intellectual core of the summit. The first focused on “The Role of Tourism and Tour Operators Education in Driving Economic Growth in Africa,” with panellists including university lecturers, private hospitality executives, and curriculum experts. They discussed how to close the gap between academic training and industry needs. The second session titled “The Role of Aviation Travel Agency Education in Driving Economic Growth in Africa,” drew attention to the need for more intentional investment and infrastructure support, especially in rural tourism hubs. Meanwhile, third Panel Session Redesigning Africa’s Curriculum for Global Competitiveness: A Blueprint for Excellence and Sustainable Industry Growth’,.challenged existing education models across Africa and lay out a bold roadmap to align curricula with the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy.
He emphasised that tourism should not be treated in isolation from other fields. “Tourism is the umbrella,” he said. “Hospitality, culture, and business all fall under tourism. Tourism is the vehicle that carries the rest. Young people need to understand this clearly.” He called on organisers of educational summits to create more practical opportunities for young people to actively participate. “Don’t just talk to them. Create spaces where they can really understand and take part. That’s how they’ll grow.”
Throughout the day, the BWC Hotel pulsed with energy as students, entrepreneurs and policymakers networked, exchanged cards, and posed for photographs against branded backdrops. The sight of youth in school uniforms engaging seasoned practitioners in questions about career paths, destination branding and investment stood as a hopeful symbol for the sector’s future.
One of the biggest cheers of the day came when the cultural troupe from Nike Gallery returned for a final showcase, an energetic display of bata and talking drum routines that drew a standing ovation.
For many, the 2025 edition of AHTES was a turning point, not just in content but in coordination. It offered a glimpse of what a better connected, better informed, and better empowered African tourism ecosystem could look like. And with Dr. Aliyu now at the helm of FTAN following his election shortly after the summit, many believe he is well placed to champion the very reforms he spoke passionately about in Lagos.
“This is what I studied. This is my life,” he said quietly, almost prophetically, during the Berexnews interview days before his emergence as FTAN President.
