By Joshua Yousouph
The Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) has announced plans to place greater emphasis on waterfront tourism and the blue economy during its 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM), as stakeholders push for cleaner waterways and increased investment in Nigeria’s marine tourism potential.
Speaking at a press conference in Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday, NATOP President, Hajia Bolaji Mustapha, said the association’s landmark 10th AGM, scheduled for July 8 to 10, 2026, will feature activities designed to showcase Lagos’ waterfront assets and strengthen conversations around sustainable tourism development.
Mustapha explained that while NATOP traditionally rotates its AGM among states with tourism potential, the association decided to return the anniversary edition to Lagos because of the state’s strategic role in tourism promotion and its growing support for waterfront tourism initiatives.
According to her, participants will embark on a waterways cruise and beach tourism experience as part of the event’s activities, providing tourism stakeholders with first-hand exposure to opportunities within the marine and coastal tourism sector.
She noted that the association has continued to champion destination marketing across Nigeria, while advocating stronger collaboration between government and private sector operators to unlock the country’s vast tourism resources.
Representing the Lagos State Government, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Bopo Oyekan-Ismaila, reiterated the state’s commitment to tourism and environmental sustainability.
She described Lagos as Nigeria’s tourism capital and stressed the need for collective responsibility in protecting the environment and preserving tourism assets.
According to her, tourism remains a key pillar under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES development agenda, with significant opportunities existing in culture, entertainment, heritage, leisure, and waterfront tourism.
Chairman of the 2026 AGM Planning Committee, Mrs. Joy Alexander-Oziegbe, said the anniversary gathering would serve as a platform to showcase the positive side of Nigeria and promote tourism as a viable contributor to national economic growth.
Speaking on the theme, “Unlocking Nigeria’s Tourism Potential: Strengthening Tour Pillars for Sustainable Destination Development,” she said the conference would highlight opportunities in domestic tourism, inbound tourism, destination development, and sustainable tourism practices.
“There are many positive stories about Nigeria that need to be told. Through this AGM, we want to demonstrate that tourism remains a sustainable sector capable of generating jobs, attracting investment, and driving economic development,” she stated.
Also speaking, Project Manager of the NATOP Secretariat, Mr. Uche Chinonso, disclosed that the association would formally inaugurate its first-ever national secretariat on July 8 as part of activities marking the anniversary celebration.
According to him, the facility, a three-bedroom office complex currently undergoing finishing works, will provide NATOP with a permanent operational base after years of operating from rented venues.
Chinonso explained that beyond serving as an administrative headquarters, the secretariat would provide workspaces for tourism practitioners, host meetings and industry engagements, and support collaboration among operators within Nigeria’s tourism ecosystem.
“For over a decade, the association has operated without a permanent office. The secretariat gives NATOP an identity, a meeting point, and a platform to further strengthen tourism promotion and stakeholder engagement across the country,” he said.
One of the event sponsors and Chief Executive Officer of Parts Central Limited, Mr. Henry Olaoluwa Onifade, that his company recently signed an agreement with the National Inland Waterways Authority to undertake the cleaning of Nigeria’s waterways.
Onifade said the initiative is aimed at addressing environmental challenges affecting inland waterways while creating a cleaner and safer environment for transportation, recreation, tourism, and other blue economy activities.
He called on the Lagos State Government to collaborate with the company and other stakeholders in ensuring the success of the waterways clean-up programme, noting that environmental sustainability remains critical to the growth of water-based tourism and investment.
The 10th AGM is expected to attract tour operators, travel professionals, investors, hospitality operators, government agencies, development partners, and tourism experts from across Nigeria and beyond.
Stakeholders expressed optimism that discussions during the conference, coupled with ongoing efforts to improve Nigeria’s waterways and waterfront infrastructure, would help position tourism as a major driver of economic diversification and blue economy development.
