By Onyeka Ezike
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) has revealed its plan to redefine Global Travel Ambassadors in its 50th Golden Jubilee at the ancient city of Ibadan, with the theme, “Embracing our Diverse Cultural Heritage From the City of Firsts: Redefining our role as Global Travel Ambassadors. NANTA is an Association of all registered travel agencies in Nigeria, founded in 1973 by travel agents to promote and protect the interests of travel agencies and tour operators.
Speaking on Villa Square, a special segment of Cr8tive 9ja program, a weekly tourism and cultural magazine flagship program aired on Mainland 98.3 FM Lagos, every Thursday, and anchored by renowned tourism journalist Frank Meke and Bunmi Bade Adeniji, the National Publicity Secretary of NANTA, Adelola Adewole, who featured as a special guest with Yinka Ladipo, the National Financial Secretary of NANTA, said the theme of the AGM itself is embracing our diverse cultural heritage from the ancient city of Ibadan, and defining our role as global travel ambassadors.
Adelola Adewole said, “We are the biggest travel trade association in Nigeria with over 6,000 members, cutting across the country, with five zones, the Northern zone, whose head office is in Kano, Easter Zone with headquarters in Port Harcourt. We have the Lagos Zone, the headquarters in Lagos, Abuja Zone, headquartered in Abuja and then the Western Zone, the headquarters in Ibadan, where we’re having the AGM. Each of these zones have their vice presidents and Excos. NANTA is an association that manages its internal affairs with the Central Executive Council, where all these vice presidents also report. We, as an association, gather together as one body, speaking with one voice.” She noted.
The NANTA AGM is usually rotated based on zones to ensure each zone has a good and fair share of the AGM while also offering members the opportunity to visit other zones. The year’s NANTA AGM will kick off on 14 – 18 April, 2026. A five-day event with arrival on the first day and departure on the last day.
Adewole also explained that the focus behind the theme of the AGM, which is of major concern to the President of NANTA, Yinka Folami, “The President believes in this narration, that when growing up, when we go to our neighbour’s house, we’re best behaved because we showcase the values and the culture that we’re being taught in our house. The AGM will act as a reminder to all of us that when we go outside, when we go global, we should be conscious that we are representing Nigeria and we’re representing a culture and a country that we should and expect people to be proud of us.” She stated.
The National Financial Secretary of NANTA, Yinka Ladipo, said that the association is friendly with the media to help amplify the achievements of the association. “We are media constructs, and we make the best out of it, and that has really helped us,” he said.
Some of the special guest expected to attend the NANTA AGM includes: Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister for Interior, Hon. Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the newly appointed Minister of State for Finance, Taiwo Oyedele. The Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika, Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOURS), Dr. Abisoye Fagade, Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Ona Najomo, Director General of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, and the Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa.
Also expected are the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commissions Olanipekun Olukoyede, Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adelabu Adedeji, Oyo state director of the Department of State Service (DSS), and the governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun (MFR), the governor of Oyo State, Oluwaseyi Makinde, the governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke; and the governor of Ekiti State, Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji.
Others include the Royal Fathers, like the Olu Ibadan of Ibadan Land, Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland in Ogun State, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), and the Oluroye of Iroko Ekiti, Oba Sunday Adebanjo Kayode Ekundayo JP (Orubuloye II).
The AGM will feature exhibitions, tours to the Ooni of Ife’s Palace, elections of new NANTA Executive members, and an in-house discussion on issues concerning the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies.
