Tourism Minister, Sterling Bank MD, Stakeholders Laud Governor Oyebanji’s Tourism Vision at Presidential–Sterling Bank Tourism Summit
Stakeholders across Nigeria’s tourism, arts, and creative economy sectors have showered commendations on Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, Governor of Ekiti State, for his visionary, structured, and investment-driven approach to tourism development.
The commendations were made at the Tourism Stakeholders Summit themed “Co-Creating Financial Solutions for Nigeria’s Tourism, Arts and Creative Economy”, sponsored by Sterling Bank in collaboration with the Presidency, and held on January 29, 2026, at the Sheraton Hotel.
The high-level summit attracted key public and private sector leaders, policymakers, financiers, creatives, and tourism professionals from across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, outlined the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to repositioning tourism and the creative economy as critical pillars of national economic diversification. She highlighted ongoing and planned policy reforms, financing frameworks, and institutional support mechanisms aimed at unlocking the sector’s vast potential for jobs, foreign exchange earnings, and inclusive growth.
The Minister particularly commended Sterling Bank for emerging as Nigeria’s most tourism-focused financial institution, describing the bank as “the only bank that has deliberately and consistently aligned its products, vision, and financing instruments with the tourism, arts, and creative economy ecosystem.” She also praised Abiola Adelana, Head of Tourism Desk at Sterling Bank, for her strategic leadership in productively linking the banking sector with tourism and creative enterprises nationwide.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of Sterling Bank ,Mr Abubakar Suleiman emphasized that the tourism and creative economy represents one of Nigeria’s largest untapped green and regenerative economic frontiers, stressing that the sector requires innovative, patient, and structured financing to scale sustainably.
Across multiple interventions at the summit, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji’s tourism vision stood out as a reference point for best practice in sub-national tourism governance. Stakeholders applauded Ekiti State’s deliberate production of a Tourism Policy and a Tourism Development Master Plan, describing them as critical instruments that provide clarity, investor confidence, and long-term direction.
Special commendation was also given to the Governor’s bold decision to concession the Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort to Glocient Hospitality, a move widely acknowledged as having transformed the iconic destination into one of the most competitive and professionally managed resorts in West Africa.
The Ekiti State delegation to the summit was led by Wale Ojo‑Lanre, Director-General, Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, who was also a speaker at the summit. In his presentation, he articulated Ekiti State’s tourism financing philosophy, public-private partnership framework, and destination-ready project pipeline, aligning them with national and private sector investment objectives.
During the engagement sessions, the Ekiti team actively marketed a range of high-impact tourism assets, including the Ero Dam Tourism Resort, positioning it as a flagship eco-tourism and leisure destination with strong potential for sustainable investment, recreation, and regional economic stimulation.
Participants at the summit jointly called on other Nigerian states to emulate Ekiti State’s model by co-financing tourism development, embracing private sector partnerships, and grounding tourism growth in clear policy frameworks rather than ad-hoc interventions.
The summit reinforced the growing consensus that Nigeria’s tourism, arts, and creative economy can only thrive through strategic collaboration between government, financial institutions, and industry stakeholders—an approach already exemplified by Ekiti State under Governor Oyebanji’s leadership.