Obasanjo Advocates for Tourism Growth at AeroWest Summit

At the AeroWest Summit 2026 held in Lagos, former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, called for stronger collaboration, investment, and connectivity to harness the economic potential of aviation and tourism in West and Central Africa. The summit, themed ‘Financing Connectivity: Unlocking Aviation & Tourism Growth in West and Central Africa,’ also saw similar sentiments expressed by Barbados’ High Commissioner to Nigeria and Ghana, Juliette Bynoe-Sunderland.

Obasanjo highlighted Africa's rich cultural and tourism assets but noted a lack of knowledge and commitment to promote them effectively. He cited an example from Ogun State, where foreign tourists interested in traditional Adire textile production were turned away, questioning the implications for tourism.

He stressed the importance of communities understanding their role in tourism development and emphasized that aviation and tourism should be viewed as interconnected sectors, with economic prosperity driving passenger demand.