- By Foluso Adelaja
- The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) and the Association of Tourists Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), two prominent bodies in Nigeria’s tourism sector, recently held their Annual General Meetings (AGMs) in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
Held within days of each other, the two gatherings were widely regarded as successful, attracting key players and stakeholders from across the country.
Beyond the deliberations and decisions reached at the meetings, the influx of delegates into Abuja also provided a welcome boost to the hospitality sector, with hotels and other tourism-related businesses benefiting from increased patronage.
FTAN held its 29th AGM over two days, from Thursday, July 30 to Friday, July 31, 2026, under the theme, “Tourism Transformation Through Collaboration, Policy Alignment and Investment.”
ATBOWATON followed with its one-day AGM on Sunday, August 2.
Delegates and participants had, however, begun arriving in Abuja from Wednesday, July 29, making the nation’s capital a hive of tourism-related activities for several days.
The meetings were deliberately scheduled in succession, with a day’s interval between them, and held at different venues.
FTAN’s AGM took place at the Monalisa Sports and Recreation Centre, Garki, while ATBOWATON held its meeting at Kapital Klub and Apartments, Asokoro.
The arrangement, it was learnt, was partly designed to reduce the financial and logistical burden on members who would otherwise have had to travel to Abuja twice within the same period. ATBOWATON was said to have deliberately shifted the date of its AGM to follow FTAN’s meeting, thereby allowing members, particularly those travelling from distant parts of the country, to attend both gatherings with greater ease.
Measuring the success
The success of the two AGMs, however, could not be measured by increased hotel occupancy alone, although that remains a significant indicator of activity in the hospitality industry.
Neither could it be judged solely by the satisfaction evident on the faces of the two presidents — Alhaji Badaki Aliyu (PhD), President of FTAN, and Chief (Dr.) Ganiyu Shekoni-Balogun, popularly known as Tarzan, President of ATBOWATON — at the conclusion of their respective meetings.
Perhaps the most important measure was the satisfaction of the delegates themselves: industry practitioners who travelled from different parts of Nigeria to participate in the deliberations.
The sight of delegates leaving the meeting halls satisfied that long-standing issues had been addressed, new challenges discussed and fresh decisions taken in the collective interest of their associations provided perhaps the clearest indication that the meetings had achieved their objectives.
For FTAN, this was particularly evident in the calibre of participants and the breadth of issues addressed during the two-day gathering.
FTAN’s gathering of industry stakeholders
The FTAN AGM attracted a distinguished gathering of stakeholders, including the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa; the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr. Ola Awakan; and other prominent figures in the tourism and hospitality industry.
Their presence added colour, prestige and significance to the opening ceremony, while underscoring the strategic importance of the tourism sector to Nigeria’s economic development.
The second day of the AGM was devoted largely to the association’s general meeting, providing members with an opportunity to deliberate on issues affecting the industry and the association, resolve outstanding matters and chart a course for the future.
Beyond the formal business of the AGM, the gathering also provided an opportunity for networking, fellowship and the exchange of ideas among practitioners from different segments of the tourism industry.
The major attraction was the Nigerian Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition (NTIFE), which ran concurrently with the AGM. The 2026 edition was the ninth in the series and provided another platform for tourism investors, operators and other stakeholders to showcase opportunities, discuss challenges and explore areas of collaboration.
ATBOWATON: A family affair
If FTAN’s AGM was a broad gathering of the industry’s major stakeholders, ATBOWATON’s one-day convention could best be described as a family reunion.
From the opening moments of the meeting until its conclusion in the evening, the atmosphere was characterised by camaraderie, fraternity and a remarkable sense of togetherness.
The conduct of delegates was equally notable, with the proceedings reflecting discipline, mutual respect and a strong commitment to the growth of the association.
FTAN President, Alhaji Badaki Aliyu, who also attended the opening ceremony of the ATBOWATON AGM, used the occasion to emphasise the importance of unity within professional associations.
He acknowledged that associations would inevitably face challenges but stressed that their ability to make progress depended largely on the approach adopted in addressing such challenges.
Badaki described ATBOWATON as an important member of the family of tourism associations in Nigeria, noting that the association had consistently played its role within FTAN, the umbrella body for tourism associations in the country.
He also highlighted the importance of water transportation to national development, pointing out that waterways cut across several parts of Nigeria and could contribute significantly to economic growth if properly harnessed.
He urged tourism practitioners to explore the vast opportunities embedded in Nigeria’s tourism resources, particularly the country’s coastal corridors, which he described as possessing enormous tourism potential.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the NTDA, Dr. Ola Awakan, assured ATBOWATON members of his agency’s readiness to work with the association.
He said the NTDA, which is responsible for the regulation and marketing of tourism in the country, would cooperate with ATBOWATON in efforts to move tourism closer to the centre of Nigeria’s economic development.
Tarzan returns as ATBOWATON President
One of the major highlights of the ATBOWATON AGM was the re-election, unopposed, of Chief (Dr.) Ganiyu Shekoni-Balogun, popularly known as Tarzan, as National President.
Tarzan, a leading tourism practitioner and Executive Chairman of Gani-Tarzan Marine Enterprises Limited, Lekki, Lagos, was returned to office with a fresh mandate to lead the association.
Other members elected into the new National Executive Committee include Alhaji Kola Adesiyan, the association’s former General Secretary, who emerged as Deputy National President.
Abdurahman Hassan and Obajimi Manuwa Isogun were elected Vice Presidents for the North and West respectively, while Stephen Ogun emerged as Vice President for the East and South.
Kazeem Arogundade was elected National General Secretary, with Musa Anaruwa as Assistant National General Secretary.
Samuel D. FORWAR emerged as National Public Relations Officer, while Pami Roland became Assistant National Public Relations Officer.
Ayomikun Aworetan was elected National Treasurer, while Abubakar Aliyu became National Financial Secretary.
Other officers elected were Nwachukwu Osita Stephen, National Provost Marshal, and Foluso Adelaja, Ex-Officio member.
The AGM also approved the appointment of two long-standing members of the association, Dr. Kolawole Meshileya and Alhaji Sulaiman Adeshina Khalil-Raji, into the Board of Trustees. They replaced two retired trustees.
Broad representation
The meeting attracted delegates from 11 states, including Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Rivers, Anambra, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger and Kogi.
Benue, Cross River and Delta States sent apologies for their inability to attend.
The broad representation reflected the growing reach of ATBOWATON and the importance attached by its members to the association’s annual gathering.
At the conclusion of the election, Tarzan expressed appreciation to members for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to continue working towards strengthening the association, promoting water transportation and tourism, and improving the welfare of members across the country.
He also made a passionate appeal for unity, stressing that only a united association would be strong enough to confront the myriad challenges facing ATBOWATON and the wider water transportation sector.
A sector finding its voice
Taken together, the FTAN and ATBOWATON AGMs offered more than the routine business of annual meetings. They provided platforms for consultation, networking, policy discussions, elections, reconciliation and the articulation of new strategies for the advancement of Nigeria’s tourism industry.
From FTAN’s emphasis on collaboration, policy alignment and investment to ATBOWATON’s renewed commitment to unity, water transportation and members’ welfare, the two gatherings demonstrated an industry increasingly conscious of the need to speak with a stronger and more coordinated voice.
For Abuja, the meetings provided a temporary tourism boom. For the associations and their members, however, the real dividends may lie in the decisions taken, relationships strengthened and commitments made to build a more vibrant and sustainable tourism industry.
The success of the two AGMs, therefore, was not merely in the number of delegates who attended or the hotel rooms occupied. It was in the renewed sense of purpose among practitioners and the collective determination to turn Nigeria’s enormous tourism and waterway potential into tangible economic opportunities.
