By Nancy Okojie,
The 21st Akwaaba African Travel Market is currently underway in Lagos, Nigeria, from September 14 to 16, 2025, at the Eko Hotel and Suites. The expo is widely recognized as West Africa’s leading international travel and tourism exhibition, and this year’s edition is a major event for the continent’s aviation and hospitality industries.
The 21st edition of Akwaaba African Travel Market opened in Lagos on Sunday, drawing tourism boards, travel practitioners and industry stakeholders from across Africa.
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The event is a three-day showcase of African tourism, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, including tourism boards, airlines, hotels, travel agencies, and industry professionals from over 20 countries. This year’s expo is notable for hosting the largest collection of airlines ever seen at an African travel exhibition, reinforcing its position as a central hub for aviation in the region.
The LeadWay Magazine reports that the three-day expo is organised by Akwaaba Travel Market Ltd. in partnership the Lagos State Government, Wakanow, Air Peace, The Gambia, and Interswitch.
The Akwaaba Travel Expo features a packed schedule of activities, including:
- Exhibitions: Showcasing a wide range of tourism products and services.
- Conferences: Focused on key industry issues such as domestic tourism, the role of women in tourism, and the future of air cargo. The event also hosts the 5th Chinet Aviacargo Conference concurrently.
- Awards: Highlighting excellence in the travel and tourism sectors, including the Africa Travel 100 Awards and the Top 100 Hotel Awards.
- Cultural events: The famous “Jollof Rice War” culinary competition is a highlight, adding a fun, cultural element to the expo.
The event’s convener, Ikechi Uko, has emphasized the expo’s goal of fostering greater intra-African travel, a key theme that underpins the entire event. The expo serves as a vital platform for networking, business development, and promoting Africa’s potential as a premier global tourism destination.
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The governor of Ekiti State, Abiodun Oyebanji received ‘The Tourism Governor of the Year’ award, while the state was awarded the ‘Most Active Tourism State.
Dr Abisoye Fagade, the Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), who used the platform to congratulate Nigerian Chef Hilda Baci on her recent feat, cooking the largest pot of jollof rice, described the delicacy as Nigeria’s gift to the world.
