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Action-Oriented Focus: The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has redesigned the 2026 Nigeria Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition (NTIFE) to move beyond talk and deliver practical investment outcomes.
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Key Event Dates: The high-level gathering is scheduled for July 30 and 31 at the Monoliza Sports and Recreational Centre in Abuja, featuring FTAN’s 29th Annual General Meeting alongside regional leadership sessions.
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Broad Industry Representation: The forum will convene policymakers, state governors, financial institutions, and hospitality leaders to unlock local tourism potential and strengthen cross-border ECOWAS ties.
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Top-Tier Leadership: Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, will serve as Chief Hostess, alongside key addresses on building Nigeria’s national tourism architecture.
July 23, (THEWILL) — The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has announced that the 2026 Nigeria Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition (NTIFE) will centre on driving fresh capital investment, deepening strategic partnerships, and delivering actionable solutions to unleash the nation’s untapped tourism potential.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja ahead of the federation’s 29th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the ninth edition of NTIFE, FTAN President, Dr Aliyu Ajayi Badaki, emphasised that the forum has been restructured to achieve concrete commercial results rather than serving as a mere talk shop.
The federation’s AGM is set for July 31, while the NTIFE exhibition will run from July 30 to 31 at the Monoliza Sports and Recreational Centre in Garki, Abuja.
Badaki noted that since its inception in 2013, the event has evolved into the premier private-sector platform for tourism investment, policy dialogue, and business expansion. He added that the 2026 edition has been significantly scaled up to accommodate broader regional stakeholders, FTAN’s annual proceedings, and the COPITOUR Executive Meeting.
The upcoming summit is expected to bring together key policymakers, state governments, institutional investors, development finance bodies, tour operators, airlines, and hospitality brands to spur new ventures and foster public-private synergies.
According to the FTAN chief, the forum aims to secure firm investment commitments, enhance interstate collaboration, align regulatory policies, amplify destination marketing, and deepen economic ties across the broader ECOWAS sub-region.
Badaki called on both government entities and private enterprise leaders to recognise tourism as a dynamic economic driver capable of powering massive job creation, insisting that sector investments must extend beyond large corporations to include smaller domestic operators.
Framed around the theme “Tourism Transformation Through Collaboration, Policy Alignment and Investment”, the multi-day event will feature executive presentations and panel sessions anchored by top government officials and market leaders.
The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, will act as Chief Hostess and deliver a lead paper titled “Building a National Tourism Architecture for Nigeria”, while Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Chairman, Senator Ibrahim Ida, is slated to give the keynote address.
Additionally, an executive roundtable featuring state tourism commissioners will evaluate investment-ready destinations across the country and lay out actionable frameworks for their sustainable development.
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
