The 21st edition of the Akwaaba African Travel Market opened in Lagos State, Nigeria, on Sunday, attracting tourism boards, travel professionals, and industry stakeholders from across the continent.
The three-day expo, organised by Akwaaba Travel Market Ltd. in partnership with Wakanow, Air Peace, Interswitch, Lagos State and The Gambia, runs from 14 to 18 September. It brings together airlines, travel agents, tour operators, hospitality brands, content creators, and tourism boards from various African countries.
The opening featured exhibitions, a culinary competition tagged the Jollof Rice War, and an awards ceremony. Ten chefs showcased different variations of the popular dish, including asun, native, ofada, seafood, and coconut-infused jollof rice.
Convener Ikechi Uko said the programme was designed to deliver maximum value for more than 3,000 participants expected at the event.
“Akwaaba, recognised as West Africa’s only international travel exhibition and one of the largest in Africa, continues to play a pivotal role in promoting intra-African travel, trade, and cultural exchange. This year’s edition promises to be historic, as it will host the largest collection of airlines at any travel expo in Africa, reinforcing its role as a hub for aviation connectivity and partnerships,” Uko said.
Dr Abisoye Fagade, Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), congratulated Nigerian chef Hilda Baci on her recent Guinness World Record for cooking the largest pot of jollof rice. He described the delicacy as “Nigeria’s gift to the world” and announced that the institute plans to host an event in December for the world’s longest dining table.
Founder of Taste of African Vibes, Jibola Abati, stressed the importance of travel content creators in promoting destinations. As convener of the African Travel Content Creator Conference, he urged governments to collaborate with creatives to enhance Africa’s visibility.
“They have been using their resources to promote Nigeria. Material support and partnerships will encourage them to do more,” Abati said.
At the awards, Governor Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State received the Tourism Governor of the Year honour, while Ekiti was named the Most Active Tourism State.
