The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), West Africa’s leading body of travel and tourism professionals, has been honoured with the Best African Travel Association Award at the prestigious African Tourism Awards held in London, United Kingdom.
According to the organisers, NANTA emerged as the inaugural recipient of the category for its resilience, strategic leadership, and unwavering commitment to promoting sustainable intra-African travel and tourism trade. The association was also lauded for its consistent presence and stellar representation of Nigeria’s rich cultural tourism offerings at the World Travel Market (WTM) London over the past three years.
The award presentation took place on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at the Hilton Hotel, Canary Wharf, serving as a curtain-raiser to the official opening of WTM London 2025 the following day. The event brought together top travel executives, tourism boards, and cultural ambassadors in a celebration of excellence and collaboration across Africa’s tourism landscape.
Representing NANTA President Mr. Yinka Folami at the event were the association’s immediate past president Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, National Publicity Secretary Mrs. Lola Adewole, and National Internal Auditor Mr. Johnson Ugochukwu.
Reacting to the honour, Mr. Folami described the award as a powerful endorsement of NANTA’s role in advancing tourism growth and trade across Nigeria and the African continent.
“I was en route to London for WTM when I received the news, and I felt truly elated that our efforts at NANTA are being recognised not just by the organisers but also by Nigerians in the diaspora who support our cultural showcases,” he said.
“Although NANTA did not officially coordinate Nigeria’s participation this year hoping for greater government involvement in future it’s heartwarming that our members continue to fly the flag proudly. I sincerely appreciate Mrs. Akporiaye, Mrs. Adewole, and Mr. Ugochukwu for representing us so ably,” he added.
Speaking on the objectives behind the award, Mr. Efetobo Awhana, Executive Producer of the African Tourism Awards, highlighted Africa’s vast and diverse tourism potential, describing the initiative as a platform to celebrate and promote the continent’s excellence.
“The African Tourism Awards was conceived to showcase Africa’s best hotels, most reliable operators, and outstanding destinations,” Awhana said.
“Our goal is to reshape Africa’s tourism narrative to encourage travel to Africa, by Africans, and for Africans, especially those in the diaspora,” he concluded.
NANTA’s recognition in London reinforces its leadership in driving Africa’s travel trade transformation and its ongoing mission to position Nigeria as a key player in the global tourism ecosystem.