Ekiti State has taken the spotlight at the 21st Akwaaba African Travel Market, with Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji and the state itself clinching two of the event’s most prestigious honours. Oyebanji was named Best Tourism Governor of the Year 2024/2025, while Ekiti was voted the Most Active Tourism State in Nigeria.
The Akwaaba African Travel Market, widely regarded as the continent’s biggest and most influential tourism gathering, brought together operators, investors, hoteliers, cultural promoters, and journalists at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. The awards followed a rigorous poll conducted by African Traveller Quarterly magazine in partnership with Akwaaba, where tourism stakeholders across Africa cast their votes.
Ekiti’s rise under Oyebanji stood out, earning praise from Ikechi Uko, publisher of Travellers Magazine and founder of Akwaaba. “Within two years in office, you have lifted a once-quiet state into a global tourism reference point. This is no small achievement, and Africa must celebrate it,” he said.
Since assuming office, Oyebanji has made tourism a central focus of his administration. One of his first steps was to establish the Bureau of Tourism Development as a standalone agency under his direct supervision, appointing Wale Ojo-Lanre as its director-general. That decision gave Ekiti a structured tourism engine for the first time and laid the foundation for rapid growth.
In quick succession, the state launched visitekiti.ek.gov.ng, introduced the Ekiti State Tourism Policy, and unveiled a Tourism Development Master Plan in partnership with UNTourism—the first of its kind between the global body and any state government in the world.
Ekiti’s abandoned Ikogosi Warm Springs was revitalized into a bustling resort, while infrastructure such as the Ado Ekiti Bus Terminal and the Agro-Allied Cargo Airport was completed. Roads leading to major tourism sites were rehabilitated, and 50 professional tour guides were trained—two each from the country’s three main religions—to ensure inclusivity for visitors.
The state also showcased its heritage on national and international platforms. At the Canadian Consulate Tourism Fair in Lagos, Ekiti’s pavilion attracted attention. Its delicacies stood out at the NIHOTOUR Gastronomic Festival in Abuja, and cultural displays drew applause at the Goge Africa celebration. At the Oodua Tourism Fair in Osogbo, the state once again shone brightly.
Symbolic Easter hikes have further amplified Ekiti’s profile. In 2024, Oyebanji led thousands, including Nigeria’s first Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade John, and NIHOTOUR Director-General, Nura Kangiwa, on a hike to the Abanijorin Rock of Wonders in Iyin. In 2025, he repeated the feat at Oke Sagbonke in Efon Alaaye, where more than 4,000 hikers joined the governor in what became a community-driven festival. Inspired, residents later organized their own independent hike, proof that the governor’s Community Tourism Initiative was taking root.
Other communities soon followed. Ilogbo Ekiti promoted its rare 42-headed palm tree, while Ilupeju Ekiti revived interest in the historic Oke Ewo War Stones. Oyebanji’s emphasis on peace and security through Amotekun, Peace Corps, and Agro Marshals created the safe environment necessary for tourism to thrive. Coupled with reforms in ease of doing business and investor-friendly tax policies, Ekiti became fertile ground for hospitality and cultural investments.
The awards sparked celebrations across the state. In Ado Ekiti’s Oja Oba market, traders beamed with pride. “For the first time, we feel the world is noticing Ekiti State. Oyebanji has made us proud,” said Yemi Abimbola, a bead seller. In Efon Alaaye, community leader Prince Adeyemi Adejolu praised the governor for opening their eyes to the value of Oke Sagbonke, while university student Omobolaji Aina remarked that tourism had become a career path, not just a concept.
Ekiti indigenes in Lagos and abroad also joined in the celebrations, flooding social media with messages of congratulations and hailing their homeland as Nigeria’s tourism heartbeat.
Receiving the award on behalf of the governor, Wale Ojo-Lanre said: “This honour belongs to the resilient people of Ekiti. It is their heritage, culture, and nature that we are presenting to the world. We are only custodians of what they have preserved for centuries.”
He added that the recognition was not just a celebration but a challenge: “It shows what political will, strategic planning, and community involvement can achieve within a short time. Ekiti has proven that tourism is not about promises but about performance. In just two years, a landlocked agrarian state has become a continental benchmark.”
