Nigerian Youths Eyes top diadem at Africa Youth Tourism Innovation Summit in Namibia
- Published: May 26, 202310:00 pm
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Three Nigerian youths, Conelius Ugwunwa, Mustapha Tijjani, and Ibukunoluwa Salau, all tech start-up entrepreneurs, will fly the national flag at the 5th edition of Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit slated for the coastal city of Swakopmund, Namibia.
The Summit, hosted by Africa Tourism Partners in collaboration with United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), is scheduled from May 31st to June 2nd, 2023, and specifically targets young persons all over Africa, with Innovative ideas and solutions, beyond technology, primarily sensitive to new ideas and breakthroughs in travel, tourism and MICE industry.
At the event, five finalists and their projects will undergo review and adjudication by selected panelists and industry leaders, with the overall winner, walking away with a thousand United States dollars, mentoring opportunities, and introduction to funding agencies, industry leaders and also trade partners.
Nnenna Fakoya-Smith opened the flood gate to Nigeria’s Prowess at the Summit, which is gradually gaining ground as the hunting ground for the discovery of brilliant and innovative young persons in Africa, bringing new skills to change global tourism and travel narratives.
Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, MD/CEO of Topaz travels and tours and President National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) who has been at the forefront, supporting and encouraging the Nigerian Youths to showcase their ideas and projects through this event, is happy and confident that the three Nigerian representatives, will do great at the Namibia summit.
On a brief background of the three Nigerian contestants, sent by Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, Cornelius Ugwunwa, is a budding tech entrepreneur with five years’ experience with top travel companies, where he had deployed uncommon skills in products development and management. He will be presenting KARDINAL, a financial travel solution app that caters specifically for African businesses.
Mustapha Tijjani has a special interest in blockchain technology and artificial intelligence and recognizing their disruptive potential. He is a co funder of TRAVEL TECH AEROPAYE, an automated smart flight ticket payment and refund system for airlines and travelers which attracted attention at the World Aviation festival, held last year in Amsterdam, Netherlands and selected by Phocuswire as the” hotest 25 startups of 2023″ out of about 150 global travel tech startups in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Last but not least, Ibukunoluwa Salau is the founder of Direx, a travel tech start-up company dedicated to travel and hospitality business operators in Africa to grow and manage their businesses online through digital platforms. Ibukunoluwa Salau also founded AFRKTRIP, a one shop booking app for booking local tours, and leisure activities in about 28 African countries
