By Jimoh Babatunde

When Dr. Olayiwola Awakan walked into office as Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) in October 2025, he did so with the calm confidence of a storyteller stepping onto a familiar stage.

“I’m happy to be here; this is a new dawn. There’s a lot to be done, and by the grace of God, it will be done,” he declared at his assumption of office — words that signaled not just a leadership transition, but a reset for Nigeria’s tourism narrative.

Tourism as an Economic Driver
Awakan’s appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu placed a creative mind at the helm of a sector long acknowledged as under-tapped. From day one, he aligned his mandate with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, positioning tourism as a tool for economic diversification, job creation and global image building.

“Let me start by appreciating the President for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to drive the Renewed Hope Agenda through tourism,” he said, underscoring the weight of national expectation.
For Awakan, tourism is not merely about leisure; it is strategy. It is branding. It is economics woven into culture.
An Open-Door Reformist
Inside NTDA, the Director-General has projected a leadership style built on inclusion and innovation.
“We need newness, freshness, and I can’t do it alone. We need collaborative effort,” he told staff shortly after taking over.
His open-door philosophy has become a recurring theme. “No idea is a bad idea; it can be refined into a fantastic one. Let’s make history together and make Mr. President proud.”
Industry stakeholders say that approach is already fostering renewed engagement between government, private investors and cultural practitioners — a necessary bridge if tourism is to compete as a serious GDP contributor.

Culture as Capital
Perhaps the most defining element of Awakan’s strategy is his insistence that culture is Nigeria’s greatest tourism asset.

Drawing from his own background in media, theatre and storytelling, he sees festivals and creative platforms not as ceremonial gatherings, but as economic engines.

“Many years ago, I performed on this very stage… Today, I stand here as the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority. This is proof of how powerful cultural platforms can be, not just for art, but for tourism and nation branding,” he said at a major cultural event last year.

His message is consistent: Nigeria must export its cultural identity as a tourism product.

“This is the direction tourism development must take. Our culture is a major asset. Platforms like Culturati should not only be preserved but strengthened and exported beyond our borders as tourism products that attract visitors, investment, and global attention.”

Partnerships and Global Outlook
Under his stewardship, NTDA has intensified collaboration with aviation authorities, lawmakers and private sector players to improve visitor experience and destination marketing.

From reviving tourism information desks at airports to pushing for stronger legislative backing, the agency appears to be repositioning itself beyond ceremonial promotion toward institutional strengthening.

Observers note that Awakan’s media background gives him an intuitive grasp of narrative — and narrative, in tourism, is currency. A country that tells its story well attracts the world.

The Road Ahead
Challenges remain: infrastructure gaps, financing constraints and security perceptions still affect Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global tourism market. Yet the tone at NTDA has unmistakably shifted from routine administration to strategic ambition.

Awakan himself seems aware of the magnitude of the task. But if his first months are any indication, his leadership philosophy is rooted in optimism, collaboration and cultural confidence.

For Nigeria’s tourism sector, long described as a sleeping giant, the message from NTDA’s new helmsman is clear: the awakening has begun.