How Nigeria Can Become World Tourism Giant

Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria, is destined to become the third most populous country on earth by 2050, trailing only China and India. Nigerians are ranked by some surveys, including the World Happiness Report, as one of the happiest people in the world. In fact, a study of more than 65 countries published in the UK’s New Scientist magazine in 2013 suggests that the happiest people in the world live in Nigeria. Boisterous, driven, and proud, Nigeria’s over 350 ethnic groups speaking over 1,500 languages and dialects are the most hospitable on earth.
With 853 kilometers of coastline, some of the world’s most stunning sandy beaches, breathtaking forests, unsurpassed wildlife and mountains, magnificent savannas and cuisines made in heaven, Nigeria has it all. A tourist delight par excellence, Nigerian women are not just some of the world’s most elegant, they rank amongst the planet’s most sexy, curvaceous and intelligent. Nigeria’s biodiversity, dance, music including high-life, Juju, Fuji, and Calypso, to mention a few, will make other nations green with envy.
To put in perspective Nigeria’s geographic expanse, Nigeria is twice the size of California, and bigger than Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, and Ireland put together. Nigeria’s ethnic diversity is unrivaled and its physical geography has some of the world’s most breathtaking sceneries. According to some estimates, one in every six Africans is a Nigerian. Amongst UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites are Nigeria’s Sukur Cultural Landscape in Adamawa State and Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove in Osun State, while nine others, including Oban Hills in Cross River State, Oke-Idanre Hills in Ondo State, Ogbunike Caves in Anambra State, Alok Ikom Monoliths in Cross River State, the Ancient Kano City Walls in Kano State, Gashaka-Gumti National Park in Taraba State, Arochukwu Long Juju Slave Route in Abia State, Surame Cultural Landscape in Sokoto State, Obio Ubium Grove & Shrine in Nsit Ubium, are all on the tentative list. Indeed Nigeria’s tourism endowments rank amongst the world’s most coveted. But Nigeria is hardly noticed on the world’s tourism radar.
According to rankings by Buzzfeed.Com, Africa’s most beautiful countries for tourism are South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. In North America, it’s the US and Canada, and in Europe, the top ranked nations are Italy, Switzerland and Norway, while in South and Latin America, Argentina, Columbia, Chile and Brazil occupy the top spots. In Asia, top to breast the tape are mighty China, India, Philippines and Nepal, while for the Australasian region, New Zealand and Australia are the top dogs. The logical question that springs to mind is, why and how did the giant of Africa with all its natural wonders get kicked in the butt by Namibia, ranked second as Africa’s most desirable tourist destination?
With oil revenue, which accounts for over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s earnings in steep decline, rapidly depleting foreign reserves, and burgeoning external debt, Nigeria needs to urgently diversify from oil, and tourism is absolutely Nigeria’s shortest cut to stupendous wealth. The global hotels and tourism industry generates more revenue than telecoms, and oil and gas industries combined. Add other associated services such as independent restaurants and eateries, leisure boats and cruises, casino, air services, and fast foods, hospitality has no rival in terms of income and employment generation. According to UNWTO (UN World Tourism Organisation), international tourist arrivals in 2014 was 1.135 billion, and generated US$1.5 trillion in export earnings, with forecast growth in 2015 estimated at between 3 per cent and 4 per cent. Europe, the fastest tourism growing region, has already surpassed UNWTO forecast with growth hitting 4.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2015.
The industry accounted for 34 per cent of Brazil’s GDP, 46 per cent of South Africa’s, and 55 per cent of income in OECD countries in 2013. While South Africa received over 9.51 million visitors in 2013, Nigeria received less than 3 million. In all, the industry accounts for less than 2.25 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP. To develop its hospitality industry to a critical mass to become West Africa’s and indeed, Africa’s benchmark considering its huge population and tourism potential, Nigeria must fully rethink its hospitality and tourism development strategy, tactics, and goals. Nigeria no doubt has a lot going in its favour but to join the world’s tourism power houses, the country must take urgent steps to reorder its priorities, including taking these top seven steps, covered here in brief:

1. Nigeria must develop a tourism mindset

This sounds fuzzy, but to jump-start its international tourism ambition, Nigerians must embrace tourism as a culture. This is easier said than done but it’s the first prerequisite if the boat must leave the shore. Governments at all levels must preach tourism day and night.
Schools and universities must include tourism studies as an essential subject in their curriculum. Hotels, motor parks, airports, land borders must all be tourists friendly.