Nigeria is ramping up its engagement with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) to draw international investment and expand technical cooperation across its tourism and creative industries.
Following his accreditation as Permanent Representative to the body, the country’s Ambassador to Spain, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, will spearhead the drive.
The presentation to Al Nowais who is the first woman to lead UN Tourism in its 50-year history, formally certifies Ikpeazu as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the specialised United Nations agency.
During a meeting after the ceremony, Al Nowais commended Nigeria’s active participation in the organisation’s activities and expressed readiness to work closely with Ikpeazu to strengthen engagement.
In his remarks, Ikpeazu conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s goodwill message to the Secretary-General and highlighted the country’s tourism potential, citing its diverse cultures, vibrant music, Nollywood, colourful festivals and seasonal events such as Detty December.
According to him, these attractions continued to draw international attention and offered opportunities to strengthen Nigeria’s presence in the global tourism industry.
As Permanent Representative, Ikpeazu will articulate the country’s tourism priorities, build partnerships with member states and promote foreign investment and technical cooperation within the UN Tourism framework.
The assignment aligns with the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda, which recognises tourism and the creative industries as potential drivers of economic growth and employment generation.
The accreditation also comes amid the country’s growing participation in the organisation, including the recent admission of the Eko Tourism Foundation as an Affiliate Member during the 126th Session of the UN Tourism Executive Council in Toledo, Spain.