Nigerian tourism between potential and obstacles: Ekiti State as a case study for a new strategy
Nigeria is a country that, within a single nation, brings together the Atlantic Ocean coastline, savannas, tropical forests, urban megacenters, and hundreds of cultural traditions. That range of natural and social resources, along with a strong creative industry and an increasingly visible gastronomic scene, has for years led some experts to describe Nigeria as Africa’s “untapped tourism market.” But reality is more stubborn: international arrivals and tourism spending remain modest compared to the size of the country, and perceptions of safety, the quality of infrastructure, and shifting entry policies are often the first obstacle mentioned in foreign travel advisories and sector analyses.
In that broader context, the moves of one federal state—Ekiti State in the country’s southwest—are drawing attention because they offer what Nigeria often lacks in tourism: a long-term plan with measurable goals, defined priorities, and the inclusion of local stakeholders. Media and tourism actors in Nigeria point out that Ekiti, through the development and implementation of a “Tourism Development Master Plan,” is trying to move from ad hoc projects to systematic destination management, with an emphasis on heritage preservation and attracting investment.
Why Nigeria struggles to break into the global tourism market
When discussing why Nigeria is not among the most visited African destinations, three themes almost always recur: security, infrastructure, and consistency of public policy. Travel advisories from governments such as the United States and Canada in recent years have highlighted risks linked to crime, kidnappings, armed attacks, and terrorism, noting that risk levels vary by region and city. Such official assessments, regardless of nuance, strongly shape the decisions of travelers and insurers and can be decisive for organized tours, conference travel, and investment in accommodation.
Infrastructure is the second layer of the problem: from road connections to the reliability of air transport, energy stability, and access to basic services. Nigerian business media warn that the state of infrastructure and logistics hampers the development of destinations beyond the strongest urban centers and raises the cost of travel within the country.
The third element is institutional consistency. Tourism is, by nature, a long-term business: investments in hotels, attractions, and marketing rely on stable rules and predictable procedures. Changes to visa regimes, administrative barriers, or unreliable enforcement of regulations can deter travelers just as much as poor transport connectivity.
Visa policy as a signal to investors and travelers
In an effort to reduce administrative barriers, Nigeria has announced and/or introduced changes to its visa issuance system. According to expert analyses and summaries of regulatory changes, from 1 May 2025 a transition to a fully electronic visa system (e-Visa) is planned, with a gradual phase-out of the “visa on arrival” model and decisions within 48 hours. That step forward can make travel planning easier, but the effect on tourism will depend on implementation, clarity of information, and the system’s ability to handle a larger number of applications—especially in peak season and around major events.
Ekiti State: from a “hidden” corner to a structured destination
Ekiti State does not have a megacity like Lagos, nor a globally recognized “brand” like, for example, the tourist coast of some neighboring countries. Precisely for that reason, it is interesting as a test: if a destination that is not on the front line of international demand can organize itself successfully, it can serve as a template for others. In recent years, Ekiti authorities and local tourism structures have spoken more openly about the need to map attractions, prioritize infrastructure, and bring the private sector into a partner role rather than merely an executor of individual projects.
According to Nigerian media reports, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji approved the development of a “Tourism Development Master Plan” as a framework to identify the state’s key tourism assets, define standards, and propose projects capable of attracting investment and creating jobs.
At the same time, the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, on its official website, emphasizes its mandate to promote and develop tourism, with a focus on visitor safety, preservation of natural and cultural resources, and the economic impact on local communities.
What a master plan usually means in practice
In public debates about tourism, a “master plan” is often understood as a document that remains on paper. But in classic destination management models, such a plan is an operational map: it defines which attractions are developed first, which roads, water, electricity, or digital infrastructure are prerequisites, how quality standards are set, who manages sites, and how success is measured through visitor numbers, length of stay, and spending.
Guardian Nigeria, in a text about the Ekiti master plan, highlights expectations that the document should help redefine the destination, preserve cultural heritage, and create space for new jobs and entrepreneurial activities, while calling on residents and tourism stakeholders to participate in the process.
In that sense, the key is not only a new slogan, but mechanisms that connect the public sector, the community, and investors.
Natural and cultural attractions: what Ekiti can realistically offer
Ekiti is most often mentioned for its natural sites, among which the best known is the Ikogosi Warm Springs complex—a geological curiosity where, according to local descriptions and tourist guides, warm and cold springs meet in the same area while retaining different temperature characteristics. Such rare phenomena are naturally a “story” that translates well to an international audience, but to become a product, accessibility, safety, and sustainable management are needed.
Ekiti also has hilly landscapes, forest zones, and sites linked to Yoruba history and identity. For tourism, that means the state can position itself in the segment of nature breaks, “soft” adventure, and culture, rather than necessarily in mass tourism. Such a profile has two advantages: it places less pressure on sensitive ecosystems and is more realistically feasible on a limited budget, while at the same time creating space for small accommodation capacities, local guides, and an authentic offer of food and crafts.
Sustainable tourism as a political choice
In practice, sustainability is often reduced to a phrase. But for destinations like Ekiti State, sustainability is also a security and economic measure: excessive, uncontrolled pressure on a single attraction can cause environmental degradation, land conflicts, and “leakage” of revenues to outside actors. On the other hand, a model that includes local communities through jobs, concessions, guide training, and local supply chains increases the acceptability of tourism and reduces the risk of vandalism or resistance to the project.
The official description of the role of the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development emphasizes exactly that logic—creating experiences for visitors while preserving resources and encouraging growth.
The bigger picture: can one success in one state change the country’s perception
Ekiti cannot by itself solve Nigeria’s biggest obstacle—a reputational burden of security—because travel advisories apply to the entire country and often generalize risks.
But it can do two things that are often decisive in tourism.
First, it can show that in Nigeria it is possible to run tourism policy as a public service, with clear standards, data, and planning. If a destination manages to establish reliable routines (information points, licensed guides, transparent concession rules, security protocols), that becomes an argument to investors and tour operators that risk is not necessarily the same in all parts of the country.
Second, the success of one state can spur “competition in quality” among federal states. In decentralized systems, where local authorities have a real role in managing attractions and infrastructure, such dynamics can accelerate change more effectively than one large national campaign.
What the sector says about structural gaps
Nigerian analyses and expert commentary warn that the country does not invest systematically enough in tourism and that obstacles, besides security, include inconsistent visa practices, high travel costs, and logistical difficulties.
Such assessments matter because they indicate that a “branding problem” is not only marketing-related, but also operational: tourism begins at the border, continues on the road, and ends in the visitor experience.
Economic stakes: why tourism is pushed to the forefront at all
For Nigeria, tourism is increasingly mentioned as an instrument for diversifying the economy and expanding sources of foreign exchange earnings, especially in periods of volatility in energy markets. That is precisely why, in public debates, tourism is linked with small and medium-sized enterprises, youth employment, and rural development.
In its economic frameworks for countries, WTTC emphasizes that tourism’s contribution is measured through GDP, employment, investment, and visitor spending, with comparisons before and after pandemic shocks. For Nigeria, WTTC has published an economic analysis and a factsheet on its platform, suggesting it views the sector as relevant for macroeconomics, although the level of international demand still faces constraints.
Ekiti and the “local” tourism economy
If Ekiti wants to avoid a scenario in which tourism generates turnover but little benefit for the community, the master plan must foresee how local value is retained in the state: by encouraging locally owned accommodation, certifying local guides, linking agriculture and hospitality, and creating cultural events that are not only for visitors but also for residents.
This is also a political question: when tourism becomes a development tool, it is accompanied by expectations of transparency and a fair distribution of benefits. That is why the element of stakeholder inclusion is important as well—an aspect already emphasized in Nigerian texts about the Ekiti master plan.
What a realistic “path” for Nigeria toward more stable tourism could look like
Based on public analyses to date and official advisories, Nigeria will find it difficult to change perceptions overnight. But there is a series of steps that expert circles consider pragmatic and feasible, and which Ekiti is trying to incorporate into its own strategy.
- Destination segmentation: instead of a single national message, focus on regions and products where logistics are feasible and where a service standard can be guaranteed.
- Standards and licensing: clear rules for guides, operators, and facilities, with oversight mechanisms, to reduce improvisation that damages reputation.
- The border as an experience: consistent implementation of the e-Visa system and clear information for travelers, because the first impression starts with administration.
- Security protocols: cooperation between local authorities and security services to protect key tourist routes and locations, with transparent communication about risks and recommendations.
- Infrastructure “minimum”: access roads, signage, basic services, and reliable energy supply as conditions for attractions to be more than a day trip.
Such a list does not guarantee success, but it shows that tourism in Nigeria is being treated less and less as a decorative topic and more and more as a sectoral policy that requires coordination. That is precisely where Ekiti can be interesting: a master plan, if implemented, makes it possible to show how the “hard” points—access, standards, investment, and management—are addressed through a document and a budget, not only through campaigns.
What to watch in 2026: implementation, not announcements
For an international audience, it will be crucial to see concrete progress: has Ekiti established clear visitor information, are key attractions more accessible, is there sustainable management and cooperation with the private sector. For Nigeria as a whole, the question is whether reform signals—such as the digitization of the visa system—will turn into consistent practice that reduces uncertainty for travelers.
If Ekiti sticks to the logic of the master plan, the focus should remain on gradually raising quality and creating “verifiable” results, because tourism in countries with reputational risks advances in small, measurable steps. In that scenario, Ekiti would not be just another destination on Nigeria’s map, but a demonstration that the country can build tourism as an orderly system—and precisely where the difference between potential and policy is most visible.
Sources:- Guardian Nigeria – report on the Ekiti State Tourism Master Plan and expected effects (link)- Heritage News Nigeria – information on Governor Oyebanji’s approval for the development of the master plan (link)- Ekiti State Government – description of the responsibilities of the Bureau of Tourism Development (link)- BusinessDay Nigeria – analysis of the impact of infrastructure on tourism growth (link)- U.S. Department of State – travel advisory for Nigeria (update 15 July 2025) (link)- Government of Canada – travel advice for Nigeria (update 4 February 2026) (link)- PwC Nigeria – summary of new immigration rules and the e-Visa system from 1 May 2025 (link)- International Bar Association – overview of “Nigeria Visa Policy 2025” (link)- WTTC Research Hub – Nigeria Travel & Tourism Economic Impact (factsheet and report, publications 2025) (link)- eTurboNews – article on Nigeria’s tourism potential and the Ekiti State initiative (link)
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