Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr Olayiwola Awakan, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of the African Travel Commission (ATC).

The appointment was made public in Abuja, following high-level engagements led by ATC’s Executive Director, Dr Lucky George, which came on the heels of the commission’s recent inaugural summit in Lagos.

George stated that Awakan’s appointment reinforced Nigeria’s leadership role in advancing continental tourism and built on the country’s longstanding contributions to global tourism cooperation, including its involvement in the evolution of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO).

“This places Nigeria at the forefront of coordinated continental tourism advancement. We will be convening tourism leaders from across Africa to implement collaborative frameworks that will transform the continent into a premier global tourism hub through unity, innovation and strategic advocacy,” he said.

He further expressed that in line with ATC’s commitment to balanced leadership and strong public–private synergy, a Co-Chair from the private sector would be made public soon to complement the Board Chairman and strengthen industry-driven collaboration across the continent.

In his acceptance speech, Awakan pledged to drive sustainable tourism growth, enhance Africa’s global competitiveness, deepen cultural exchange, and unlock broader economic opportunities through strong public–private collaboration.

He expressed optimism about Nigeria’s tourism outlook under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, emphasising that Nigeria was well-positioned to spearhead efforts aimed at improving visa openness, strengthening connectivity, and fostering regional integration across Africa.