Nigerian Tourism is set to receive a boost as the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), in collaboration with the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun State, is set to develop a Smart Tourism Hub.
This was disclosed by the NTDA Director General, Dr Olayiwola Awakan, when he visited the University, which is his alma mater.
Accompanied by his wife, Mrs Omolola Ola Awakan, he was received by the Vice-Chancellor, Ayodeji Agboola, and members of the university’s management team.
During the visit, the NTDA Director-General toured key upgraded facilities within the university, including its state-of-the-art ICT Centre, widely regarded as one of the largest of its kind in the country, highlighting the institution’s commitment to innovation, growth, and academic excellence.
Awakan was also at the Performing Arts Department, a department he graduated from decades ago.
An excerpt of his play, Echoes of the Drums, was performed in his honour, adding a cultural and personal touch to the homecoming.
A major highlight of the visit was the announcement of a Smart Tourism Hub, a collaborative initiative between NTDA and the university. The hub will provide virtual access to tourism destinations across Nigeria while serving as a platform for learning, innovation, and revenue generation. Reacting to the initiative.
The Vice-Chancellor described Awakan as a worthy ambassador of the institution and commended his passion for excellence and continued commitment to giving back.
He also welcomed the Smart Tourism Hub as a timely and impactful development. “It’s a great joy having the Director General on campus again after so many years since graduating from here. We are delighted that he is making waves and doing MMrPresident proud, he said.
He added, “Today, we have a majority of our population in the youth. If we can build on what we are doing, then we can be confident that the future is bright. Initiatives like this open the eyes of our students and create opportunities for them, even beyond graduation.”
Awakan underscored the critical role of tourism in Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda: “As you know, Mr President has emphasised that diversification is the way forward for developing the economy,” he noted.
“The only viable path away from oil is tourism. Many countries have transformed their economies through tourism, and for Nigeria, we have far more potential than we realise,” he stressed.
