Dr. Iyadunni Gbadebo, Director of Sales and Marketing at Eko Hotels & Suites, on Thursday unveiled the 2025 Lagos Smart Tourism Index, describing it as a practical roadmap for measuring and accelerating the growth of tourism in Lagos while calling on stakeholders to work together to reposition the state as Africa’s leading tourism destination.
The report was officially launched at the Grand Ballroom of Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, where government officials, tourism stakeholders, industry leaders and members of the diplomatic community gathered to assess the current state of tourism in Lagos and discuss strategies for improving the sector’s competitiveness.
Presenting the report, Gbadebo said the responsibility of building Lagos into a globally competitive tourism destination rests not only with government but with every Nigerian through positive representation and intentional action.
“It is you and I. It is in what we do, how we represent ourselves, everywhere else in the world. That’s how we can fix this country,” she said.
She said the report was developed around five pillars: infrastructure and accessibility, safety and security, digital engagement, hospitality and visitor experience, and destination marketing. She added that Lagos has the potential to compete with leading global cities if these areas are strengthened through collaboration and consistent measurement.
According to Gbadebo, the report shows that Lagos is gaining momentum as a tourism destination, citing 18,273 international visitors recorded in 2024, $71.6 million generated during Detty December 2024 and over ₦8.4 billion invested by the Lagos State Government in cultural, arts and tourism initiatives in 2025. She said the figures reflected the state’s growing tourism potential while underscoring the need for greater collaboration to sustain the progress.
Gbadebo said the report serves as a mirror for Lagos, helping policymakers and stakeholders understand where the state currently stands among major African cities.
“The report really is just a mirror that puts it right in your face to help you establish where you are right now, establish where you are amongst the league of other cities in Africa, measure the five pillars for which the report was built on and establish how we need to move forward,” she said.
She identified perception as the biggest challenge facing Lagos and Nigeria’s tourism industry, stressing that destination marketing would play a critical role in changing global narratives.
“There’s a big perception damage that not just Lagos but Nigeria is suffering from and I think it is in destination marketing that perception will be corrected. When it is corrected, everything else will align. Destination marketing is the responsibility of every single one of us.”
Founder of Nike Art Gallery, Chief Dr. Nike Davies-Okundaye, said arts and culture remained central to tourism development, stressing the need to introduce cultural education to children from an early age.
“As Dr. Iyadunni has started to make sure she’s promoting this culture, we need to teach our children as well in the school as part of the curriculum. Every country you go, the first thing is culture,” she said.
She also commended the media for promoting Nigerian culture, noting that greater publicity would attract more visitors to the country.
Special Adviser to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) Secretary-General, Lai Mohammed, described the report as a timely assessment of Lagos’ tourism sector, saying it showed the state was making progress across the five pillars identified in the index.
“The perception is not reality. Many visitors, when they come to Lagos, they appreciate the fact that it’s not as unsafe as it’s been projected,” he said, adding that tourism development requires collaboration across sectors including transportation, education, immigration, hospitality and security.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Governor’s Special Adviser on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, welcomed the report, saying the state government would study its recommendations and continue working with stakeholders to improve tourism.
“Lagos has been about togetherness… We believe transportation is a journey we will continue to push,” he said, noting that the state has evolved beyond being a December destination, with activities and events taking place throughout the year.
Gbadebo described the report as a major milestone for Lagos, expressing optimism that it would help drive the state’s long-term tourism ambitions.
“This is a very, very important milestone for Lagos and I’m proud to have contributed my own little quota to developing Lagos as a mega city amongst the league of mega cities across the world because I strongly believe Lagos is a mega city. I’m looking forward to this report propelling the progress that Lagos desperately desires while acknowledging all the work that has already been done.”
She added that the Lagos Smart Tourism Index is expected to become an annual assessment, saying future editions will measure the state’s progress and identify areas requiring further improvement to better position Lagos as one of Africa’s leading tourism destinations.
Ademide Adebayo
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