Prof. Bola Adeleke, a Professor of Sustainable Tourism Management, at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, on Thursday said that tourism can help boost Nigeria’s economy and move the country away from oil dependency.
Adeleke stated this while delivering the Redeemer’s University’s 19th inaugural lecture titled: “Sustainable Tourism: An Impetus for National Development.”
She state that sustainable tourism, which encompasses “people, planet and profit” can be used as a catalyst for national development as it can bring about economic, social and environmental developments.
“Economically, it generates significant revenue, creates jobs and stimulates local economies, contributing to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and reducing poverty.
“It can diversify Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy, create jobs and stimulate local businesses.
“Socially, it would preserve our cultural heritage, foster intercultural understanding and enhance community well-being.
“Environmentally, it can protect biodiversity and mitigate climate impacts through ecotourism initiatives in our national parks and protected areas,” she said
She said globally, tourism contributes 10 per cent to GDP and one in ten jobs, thereby generating 1.7 trillion Dollars in export earnings in 2019 (according to World Tourism Organisation in 2021).
She stated that the Nigerian tourism sector accounted for 3.6 per cent of the country’s GDP of 17 billion Dollars in 2022, and also created employment for about two million people.
She equally admonished the government to tap into and harness the great potential in tourism to boost revenue and foreign exchange earnings, stressing that the Nigerian Government, however, needs to deal with the issues of insecurity, and develop/upgrade the tourist sites in Nigeria to attract foreign tourists.
Prof. Shadrach Akindele, the Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, in his address, said tourism is one of the areas where Nigeria has great potential, noting that tourism can boost Nigeria’s foreign reserves and attract a lot of foreign exchange, pointing out that with a lot of tourist sites in the country, Nigeria is sitting on a gold mine.
