Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that his administration is laying the foundation for the state to emerge as the tourism capital of South-West Nigeria and one of the country’s leading tourist destinations.
Makinde stated this on Wednesday at the International Tourism Summit Oyo State 2026 held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
According to the governor, his administration has invested heavily in infrastructure, security and policy reforms aimed at boosting tourism and attracting investors to the state.
He said improved road networks connecting communities and tourist locations across Oyo State would significantly enhance tourism and economic activities in the coming years.
Some of you were part of the tour of the Oke Ogun Zone. You can now see why Oyo is set to become the tourism capital of South-West Nigeria in the coming years,” Makinde said.
The governor noted that continuity in governance and policy implementation remained critical to sustaining investment in the tourism sector.
“When investors come into an environment, one of the biggest concerns is whether policies and agreements will survive beyond one administration. Our focus is to build systems that will endure,” he added.
Makinde cited the ongoing 110-kilometre Circular Road project as an example of how delayed continuity in governance can slow development, noting that the project was first conceived in the early 2000s before work eventually commenced under his administration.
He disclosed that the state had established a 25-year tourism master plan committee to ensure long-term development of tourism assets and policies.
The governor also revealed that Oyo State recently signed a 15-year concession agreement with SystemSpecs for the management of Bower’s Tower as part of efforts to revitalise tourist attractions.
Addressing investors at the summit, Makinde assured that Oyo State offers a stable and structured environment for long-term investment opportunities.
Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, who also spoke at the event, commended Makinde for ongoing infrastructure projects and efforts to promote tourism and economic integration in the South-West region.
Fayemi stressed that tourism development must be institutionalised to survive beyond individual administrations and advocated the creation of a South-West Tourism Circuit to connect tourist destinations across the region.
Also speaking, filmmaker Kunle Afolayan and Whatadeal Africa Managing Director, Obafela Bank-Olemoh, praised the government’s infrastructure drive, especially road construction projects that support tourism growth.
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Wasiu Olatubosun, said the state’s tourism framework was designed to ensure coordination, sustainability and long-term growth in the sector.
