The Association of Travel and Tourism Writers of Nigeria (ATTWON) extends its warm congratulations to Mr Olayiwola Nurudeen Awakan on his deserving appointment as the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
Mr Awakan, a seasoned journalist who worked with the TVC News until his appointment, succeeds Dr. Folorunsho Coker.
This strategic appointment comes at a critical time when Nigeria is positioning itself to harness the full potential of the digital economy in line with the President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
ATTWON acknowledges Mr Awakan’s proven track record of innovation, digital advocacy, and leadership, all of which align strongly with the objectives of a tech-driven, globally competitive Nigeria.
As tourism writers committed to showcasing Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and diverse destinations, we recognise the pivotal role that NTDA can play in using technology to power the tourism and creative economy. From digital storytelling and content platforms to immersive travel experiences and smart destination marketing, ICT remains an enabler of sustainable tourism growth.
ATTWON pledges its full support and partnership with Mr Awakan’s leadership in leveraging information technology to:
– Enhance Nigeria’s domestic tourism infrastructure and visibility,
– Empower tourism entrepreneurs and content creators through digital tools and capacity-building,
– Drive innovation in travel, culture, and heritage promotion, and
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– Position Nigeria on the global tourism and tech landscape.
Interestingly, Mr Awakan’s appointment came strategically after World Tourism Day 2025 with the theme, ‘Tourism and Sustainable Transformation,’ which is a clear indication that Mr President is desirous of NTDA’s pivotal role in tourism development and transformation as an agent of positive economic change, innovation and people-centric environmental and cultural investments for community-based growth.
Under Mr Awakan’s leadership, ATTWON looks forwards to an NTDA that would channel sustainable investments in long-term benefits, ranging from conserving bio-diversity, putting in place resilient infrastructure to safeguard our ecosystem and creating nostalgic tourist patterns at the grassroots.
We believe that Mr Awakan’s role as DG will also foster greater synergy between stakeholders and government at both state and local levels especially in the areas of how me market, project, and sell our tourist assets, all with a view to burnishing Nigeria’s image positively globally.
This forte is not new to Mr Awakan. It is surely an asset to tourism development today and in the future. And we are more than confident that Mr Awakan’s tenure will usher in a new era of digital transformation that amplifies Nigeria’s cultural capital and tourism potential to both local and international audiences.
Once again, ATTWON congratulates Mr Olayiwola Awakan on his appointment. We look forward to working collaboratively towards a digitally empowered, tourism-friendly Nigeria.
Signed
Hannah Oginni
Public Relations Officer
ATTWON
