The African Hospitality and Tourism Education Summit (AHTES) Nigeria 2025, held in Victoria Island, Lagos, has positioned itself as a landmark event bridging the gap between academic theory and practical industry application in Africa’s tourism sector.
With the theme, “Empowering Africa’s Growth Through Hospitality and Tourism Education,” AHTES 2025 attracted top-level professionals, educators, policymakers, and operators from across the continent. The two-day summit served as a rallying point for innovation, industry-academic synergy, and a renewed commitment to aligning education with Africa’s tourism development goals.
At the heart of the summit were notable figures who brought both credibility and depth to the discussions.
Dr. Eric Mekwuye, CEO of Hospitality Business School, Lagos, emphasized the urgent need to overhaul outdated curricula and align educational outputs with current market demands. His presentation challenged institutions to produce professionals who are not only qualified but employable and adaptable in a fast-changing tourism landscape.
“We must stop producing graduates who are brilliant on paper but irrelevant in practice. Our curricula must speak the language of today’s tourism industry.”
Adding policy gravitas was Dr. Aliyu Badaki, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at HATMAN. With decades of leadership in tourism advocacy, Dr. Badaki made a compelling case for a legislative framework that will institutionalize standards, encourage investment, and elevate the profession across Nigeria and West Africa.
“Without policy, there is no progress. We must legislate tourism education into permanence and into national priority.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Susan Akporiaye, former President of the Nigerian Travel Agencies of Nigeria (NANTA) and 2nd Dept. President, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) brought a continental perspective to the conversation.
She advocated for stronger intra-African tourism partnerships and emphasized the importance of continuous professional development. Her message was clear: education must serve as a catalyst for regional mobility and competitiveness.
“Africa must trade with itself. And for that to happen, our education systems must foster mobility, competence, and creativity.”
Tour operators also had a powerful voice in Alhaja Bolaji Mustapha, President of NATOP, whose presence emphasized the importance of cultural intelligence and local content in tourism promotion.
She shared success stories on how structured training and collaboration with host communities have driven growth in domestic tourism and strengthened tour operations across Nigeria. “Cultural intelligence and local content are non-negotiable. That’s how we build sustainable, community-driven tourism.”
A defining highlight of AHTES 2025 was the official designation of The White Orchid Hotel (EbonyLife Place) as the summit’s official hospitality partner. This collaboration offered delegates a live demonstration of best practices in customer service, event hosting, and premium hospitality management—reinforcing the summit’s experiential learning objective.
In a move to sustain the momentum beyond the summit, AHTES partnered with HATMAN to launch monthly professional training programs across Nigeria. These programs, featuring co-branded certification and a 20% discount on membership fees, aim to empower students, mid-career professionals, and tour operators with relevant skills and industry validation.
The summit featured panel sessions, technical workshops, mentoring lounges, and curated exhibitions—each designed to foster engagement, innovation, and cross-sectoral learning.
But perhaps its greatest success was the message it echoed across every room: Africa must take ownership of its tourism narrative through knowledge, professionalism, and strategic education.
AHTES 2025 wasn’t just an event—it marked the beginning of a pan-African movement driven by professionals who are determined to rewrite the future of hospitality and tourism on the continent.
