By Janefrances Chibuzor
Nigeria’s tourism industry continues to underperform due to long-standing policy inconsistencies, weak implementation and insufficient public investment, a senior media analyst, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, told participants at the 2025 Nigeria Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition (NTIFE) in Abuja.
Addressing investors, operators and government representatives at the event organised by the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Kolade-Otitoju said the country’s inability to enforce, sustain or adequately fund its tourism policies has kept the sector far below its potential, despite its natural and cultural endowments.
According to him, multiple administrations have introduced tourism plans since 1999, but weak coordination, repeated restructuring of ministries, and lack of continuity have resulted in “persistent policy failures” that still define the sector today. He traced the long list of reorganisations—from the creation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 1999, to its renaming, merger and eventual restructuring into the current Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy—as evidence of the lack of a stable direction.
Kolade-Otitoju said these inconsistencies have contributed to a poor operating environment in which infrastructure gaps, insecure travel corridors, inadequate funding, and a weak international image continue to discourage both domestic investors and foreign visitors. He noted that roads to major attractions remain in poor condition, power supply is unreliable, and many sites lack basic amenities.
Comparative visitor figures, he added, reflect the consequences of these shortcomings. Nigeria recorded roughly 1.2 million international arrivals in 2023, well below the numbers posted by South Africa (8.4 million) and Kenya (1.95 million). Even smaller African economies such as Cape Verde, The Gambia and Seychelles generate higher tourism receipts than Nigeria, despite having fewer attractions.
In his assessment, Nigeria’s challenge is not a lack of tourism assets but a failure to turn them into coherent, market-ready products. He pointed to locations such as the Mandara Mountains, Zuma Rock, Ogbunike Caves, Idanre Hills, Agbokim Waterfalls and the Ancient Kano Walls as important sites that remain underdeveloped and poorly showcased internationally.
Kolade-Otitoju also faulted the country’s fragmented approach to marketing and promotion, arguing that Nigeria has no consistent strategy for positioning its tourism brand globally. He said the absence of reliable data and a coordinated national identity campaign has further limited investor confidence.
Security concerns, visa inconsistencies, high travel costs and frequent transport disruptions, he added, also weaken the country’s competitiveness. “These factors, combined with unstable implementation of policies, continue to undermine the sector’s credibility,” he told participants.
Despite the structural problems, he acknowledged the rising interest in local travel among young Nigerians, which has driven growth in destinations like Obudu Mountain Resort, Ikogosi Warm Springs and the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove. But he cautioned that domestic demand alone cannot compensate for the lack of foreign inflows or long-term planning.
Kolade-Otitoju noted that recent efforts, including public-private partnerships and site rehabilitation projects, indicate some willingness to reform. However, he argued that without sustained investment and stronger enforcement of policy commitments, these initiatives will not be enough to reposition the industry.
He concluded that Nigeria must demonstrate greater policy stability, implement long-term investment plans and address insecurity if it hopes to compete with leading African tourism markets and attract serious investors.
