The general manager of the tourism board guides others in discovering opportunities for investment in Nigeria
To say the least, the state’s many tourist attractions have been gaining attention since Bilkisu Abdulsalam Ogueyi was appointed general manager of the Kogi State Hotels and Tourism Board is genuinely applying her knowledge to her work in her home state of Kogi. As a tour operator with more than 20 years of experience and a former president of the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Ogueyi has immediately gotten to work interactively with state stakeholders and pursuing partnerships with the private tourist industry, which is her area of expertise, as well as pertinent organizations outside the state to expand the tourism industry.
One of these meetings was with Wanle Akinboboye, the president and founder of La Campagne Tropicana, in distant Lagos resort by the Sea. The general manager of the first African-themed beach resort in Ikegun, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, wanted to work with Akinboboye, who manages profitable beach resorts and other tourism projects in the Caribbean, Africa, and Nigeria.
Ogueyi, her team, and potential investors from Abuja embarked on a field trip to explore various attractions within the Lokoja area of the state from November 20-21, 2024. She led the group to the Agbaja Plateau, the Confluence River, Mount Patti, Jimbe Beach, and other attractions. In the case of the Agbaja Plateau, she explained that it is a vast expanse known for its potential. Of course, she hopes to see such crowd-pulling resorts in Lagos sprout up in the beach areas of Kogi State, especially as the River Niger offers itself as the foundation for such projects.
But in her conclusion, the general manager of the Kogi State Tourism and Hotel Board noted that the places visited together provide a special fusion of historical significance, cultural richness, and natural beauty.
“We can realize their full potential as top tourist destinations in Nigeria by enhancing infrastructure, encouraging ecotourism, and protecting natural and cultural resources,” she said.
As she walked the talks and collaborations to entice investors to expand the attractions into destinations, she promised additional excursions to investigate other tourism belts in the state.
By: Comfort Larry (GhanaNet)
