Lagos Strengthens Global Partnerships to Boost Tourism – Commissioner

Lagos Strengthens Global Partnerships to Boost Tourism – Commissioner

LAGOS — The Lagos State Government is intensifying efforts to reposition the state as a top-tier global tourism destination through strategic international partnerships, cultural diplomacy, and active participation in world tourism platforms.

This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja, to mark the sixth year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

According to the Commissioner, Lagos is now more than ever asserting itself as a preferred destination for global tourists, thanks to a deliberate push by the Ministry to create seamless, world-class tourism experiences.

Highlighting recent achievements, Benson-Awoyinka revealed that the Ministry engaged the Nigeria Immigration Service earlier this year to simplify entry procedures for international visitors arriving via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The collaboration, she said, is expected to ease travel logistics for tourists and business travellers, thereby improving the city’s overall appeal.

On the global stage, Lagos’s reputation continues to grow. The Commissioner referenced her recent visit to San Francisco, California, where she received a Special Recognition Award for her leadership in promoting cultural exchange and tourism development.

She also celebrated Lagos’s successful hosting of the Global Citizen Festival in late 2024, which featured a live performance by Grammy-winning artist John Legend, describing the event as a landmark moment for cultural diplomacy in Nigeria.

In further efforts to expand global reach, the Ministry established a partnership with BBC Studios aimed at equipping local storytellers with international co-production opportunities and platforms for global visibility.

“Our participation at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London in November 2024 was a significant milestone,” the Commissioner said, adding that it provided a unique opportunity to showcase Lagos’s tourism potential to a global audience.

She also cited high-profile diplomatic visits to the J Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, including those by Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and a high-level American delegation, as testaments to growing international interest in Lagos’s cultural heritage and investment potential in the creative sector.

“These engagements demonstrate Lagos’s evolving role as a cultural and tourism powerhouse,” she stated. “We are not just attracting tourists—we are inviting the world to experience Lagos through our heritage, our innovation, and the vibrant energy of our people.”

Benson-Awoyinka reaffirmed the government’s commitment to positioning Lagos as a globally recognised tourism hub, promising continued collaborations and innovations to sustain momentum.

“Lagos will keep shining on the world stage,” she concluded. “We are opening our doors wider than ever and sharing the true story of who we are—a people rich in culture, creativity, and hospitality.”