Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has announced a major shift in the state’s handling of tourism development, stating that the government is launching a Tourism Reset Agenda, which encompasses a new blueprint on how the state will partner, deliver and communicate tourism.
The governor noted that tourism is not an after-thought for the state, but rather, a strategic lever for development, stating that the goal of his government is to build a strong tourism economy that can fund itself and the future of the state.
Governor Makinde said this on Thursday, during his keynote address at the International Tourism Summit Oyo State 2025, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
The three-day summit with the theme: “Invest in heritage, leave a legacy,” which began on July 22 with the tour of tourist sites in Oyo zone, followed by a tour of tourist sites in Ibadan zone on July 23, climaxed with the investors’ summit, where investors in the tourism sector and key players took part in pitch presentation, exhibition tour and panel discussion with the topic “Heritage as capital: Reimagining Africa’s Cultural Assets for Sustainable Growth.”
matters.
“This unit will help you to navigate permits, process documentation, access project updates and resolve concerns quickly.
“We are setting a service standard of 72-hour response time to all enquiries. If you experience delays beyond that, you may escalate directly to my communication team through the state’s official feedback platform.
“Commitment 3: The Tourism Compact. Going forward, there are no more paper promises. From this summit forward, every major tourism MoU will be tied to a clear, enforceable Tourism Compact — a short, 5-page agreement that spells out project goals, timelines, land status, milestones, penalties for non-performance — by both parties
“Commitment 4: Transparent Communications. We cannot fix what we do not track and we cannot build trust in silence. That is why we are committing to transparent communication on all tourism-linked investments. Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, my Special Adviser on Media will coordinate this to ensure timely, accurate, and proactive updates.
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The summit featured goodwill messages from foreign and local tourism investors, with different state government functionaries pitching the state’s investment-ready tourist sites to those in attendance.
Director-General of the Oyo State Investment and Public Private Partnerships Agency, Mr Tilewa Folami, delivered the pitch on Eleyele Lake with the theme: Discover Blue Gold (Leisure, lifestyle and waterfront investment in Ibadan), while the Executive Adviser to the Governor on Agribusiness, International Development and Cooperation, Dr Debo Akande, delivered a pitch on Ibadan Cultural Centre with the theme “Stage the future, transforming legacy infrastructure into a modern performance economy.”
Similarly, Executive Adviser to the Governor on New Towns and Cities, Mrs Mofoluke Adebiyi, delivered the pitch on Bower’s Tower with the theme “The view that pays, scenic tourism meets soft infrastructure returns,” while the Special Adviser to the Governor on International Trade and AfCTA, Ms Neo Theodore Tlhaselo, delivered the pitch on Idere Hills and Iyake Suspended Lake, with the theme “Climb into nature’s ROI, eco-tourism as a sustainable growth corridor.”
Also at the panel discussion, discussants made a strong case for heritage as economic infrastructure and tool for cross-border collaboration.
The event was attended by the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Bayo Lawal; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt Hon Adebo Ogundoyin; Secretary to the State Government, Prof Olanike Adeyemo; Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Kazim Adeniyi; commissioners and other government functionaries.
Co-chairman of the Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; as well as topmost traditional rulers across the state were also in attendance.
