The Managing Director of the Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Ekpenyong Ojoi, has died after a brief illness.
Sources close to the state government said Ojoi had been ill for a short period before his death.
He reportedly passed away yesterday in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, throwing the state government and stakeholders in the tourism sector into mourning.
As of the time of filing this report, the state government had yet to issue an official statement on the circumstances surrounding his death.
Ojoi’s death comes just months after he spearheaded efforts by the Cross River State Government to attract private-sector investment into key tourism assets across the state.
Appointed by Governor Bassey Otu, Ojoi was widely regarded as one of the administration’s key figures in its drive to reposition Cross River as Nigeria’s premier tourism destination.
During his tenure, the Tourism Bureau facilitated investment deals and concession agreements involving major tourism sites, including the Marina Resort and the Obudu Mountain Resort. He was also credited with promoting cultural festivals, eco-tourism initiatives and other programmes aimed at boosting visitor traffic and economic activity.
In November 2024, Ojoi disclosed that tourism-related investments worth more than N8 billion had been attracted to the state within a year, describing tourism as a key pillar of the government’s economic diversification agenda.
A government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the late tourism chief as a dedicated public servant whose contributions would be remembered for years.
“He worked tirelessly to restore confidence in Cross River’s tourism sector and attract investors. His death is a huge loss to the state,” the source said.
Ojoi is survived by his wife, children and other family members.