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NTDA Intensifies Preparations for a World-Class Eyo Festival 2025

Published

6 days ago

December 10, 2025

Joel Ajayi

The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) has begun strategic engagements to reposition the Eyo Festival as one of the nation’s leading cultural tourism attractions, with a courtesy visit by the Director General, Dr. Ola Awakan, to the Iga Idunganran Palace of His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I.

The visit forms part of NTDA’s renewed commitment to transforming Nigeria’s major cultural festivals into globally competitive tourism assets, with the Eyo Festival identified as a flagship event capable of drawing both domestic and international visitors.

Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Awakan noted that the Eyo Festival represents the soul of Lagos culture and stands as a powerful tool for destination branding.
“Our focus is to work closely with the Lagos Royal Institution to elevate the Eyo Festival into a world-class cultural attraction that mirrors the vibrancy, identity, and history of Lagos,” he said.
He emphasized the Authority’s dedication to providing technical support, strengthening promotion, and enhancing cultural preservation.

Oba Akiolu welcomed NTDA’s renewed interest, expressing strong support for a more coordinated national approach to the festival’s promotion.
“The Eyo Festival is a heritage treasure and the heartbeat of Lagos tradition. We welcome collaborations that will help safeguard its legacy and promote it as a cultural pride for future generations,” he said.
The monarch urged the NTDA DG to remain steadfast in advancing tourism values that reflect integrity, heritage protection, and cultural growth.

Both parties discussed opportunities to transform the 2025 edition of the Eyo Festival into a more structured cultural tourism experience—one that not only preserves tradition but also enhances visitor participation, creates economic opportunities for local communities, and strengthens Lagos’ position as a premier cultural destination.

At the end of the palace engagement, the Director General and his team were received by the Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government and Chairman of the 2025 Eyo Festival Planning Committee, Hon. Taiwo Oyekan. He welcomed NTDA’s involvement and assured the Authority of the committee’s readiness to work collaboratively to deliver a successful, tourism-driven festival.

Dr. Awakan was accompanied by the NTDA South-West Zonal Coordinator, Mrs. Alice Akinsola, and other senior officials.

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Karl Hala, Kelani Continental Hotel, NRC, Stanbic IBTC Others Honoured At NTTSUMMIT Award Nite

Published

1 week ago

December 7, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Karl Hala is the Group General Manager of Continental Hotels (Lagos and Abuja) who received the individual category Lifetime Achievement Award in Hospitality Leadership 2025. Hala is a highly experienced award winning hospitality leader, known as ‘Africa’s hospitality guru. With an experience spanning over 50 years in hospitality management across Africa, he is redeveloping and redefining luxury in hospitality service focusing on youth training and championing African Tourism through innovative, tech driven strategies that earned him Nigerian Hospitality Legend.

The Dinner and Award Nite ceremony which was attended by dignitaries and industry icons across the Nigerian Travel-Tourism and Hospitality industry, was the climax of activities lined up for the 2025 National Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo with the theme: Tourism Transportation Connectivity: Accelerating the Synergy for National Socio-Economic Growth and Development, held from Tuesday 2nd to Wednesday 3rd December, 2025 at the Palme D’or Event Centre in Abuja.

Other recipients of the individual category award include: Hon. Gift John-bull, who bagged the Excellence award in Community Empowerment & Inclusive Governance; Hon. Abolaji J. Kelani, received award for Visionary Leadership in Aviation and Tourism Training; Mrs. Feyikemi Arolasafe, Distinguished Leadership Award in Culinary Art and Professional Excellence; Hon. Idowu Adejumoke Senbanjo, Honorary Award for Exemplary Leadership in Tourism Development and Capacity Building; Hon. (Princess) Surah Olayemi Animashaun, Award For Exemplary Local Government Tourism Promotion and Development; Otunba Akogun Wale Raji Anomo, Award Of Excellence in Cultural Heritage Preservation; Mrs. Olushekun Bibilomo, Outstanding Public Service Award in Sustainable Tourism Development and Dr. Charles Chinedum Elechi, Outstanding Visionary Leadership Award in Transportation Administration.

Stanbic IBTC went home with the Award For Outstanding Support for Tourism & Transportation in Nigeria in the banking category. While in the Aviation sector, Aeroport College Of Aviation and Travel Management got the Award For Distinguished Performance in Aviation Training and Travel Operations and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) received the Leadership Award in Aviation Training and Capacity Building.

In the travel and tour category, the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies NANTA, got the Distinguished Service Award for Aviation Compliance and Excellence, the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators bagged the Distinguished Service Award for Tourism Destination Promotion, while in the Airline Award category, Aero Contractors won the Life Time Achievement Award for Immense Contribution to the Nigerian Aviation industry.

Under the Agency Award category, Lagos State Inland Waterways Authority (LASWA) received the Outstanding Maritime Infrastructure Development and Inland Waterways Innovation Award; the Nigerian Shippers Council bagged the Award For Strengthening Inland Trade and Regional Cargo Connectivity.

In the hospitality category, QMDCI got the Distinguished Achievement Award in Hospitality Training and Culinary Arts and the Abuja Continental Hotel got the Outstanding Hospitality Excellence Award. Under the Transportation category, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) won the Excellence in Rail Transport Resilience and Strategic Growth Award.

Conferring the honour on the deserving recipients, the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Organizing Committee and National President of the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN), Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, admonished the awardees to be good ambassadors of the industry at all times and remain steadfast in their professional callings by doing their best to excel.

He said the awards were meant to spur the recipients to double their efforts in the promotion of the Nigerian travel tourism and hospitality industry to greater heights.

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