By: Yunus S. Saliu
The 21st edition of the Akwaaba African Travel Market, held from 14th to 16th September 2025 at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, Nigeria, brought together top players in Africa’s travel and tourism industry. Key partners for this year’s event included Air Peace, Lagos State, The Gambia, Wakanow, and Interswitch.
Recognized as West Africa’s only international travel and tourism exhibition, and one of the largest on the continent, Akwaaba continues to serve as a vital platform for promoting intra-African travel, trade, and cultural exchange.
This year’s edition made history by hosting the largest collection of airlines ever assembled at any African travel expo, further cementing its reputation as a critical hub for aviation connectivity and partnerships across the continent.
According to ATQnews, over 3,000 participants attended the event, including representatives from tourism boards, airlines, hotels, travel agencies, insurance firms, logistics companies, government institutions, international buyers, and industry professionals.
Running alongside the travel market was the 5th Chinet Aviacargo Conference, aligning tourism and air cargo to explore broader economic synergies.
The three-day programme featured a wide array of activities, including: The official exhibition opening and grand opening ceremony, the popular Jollof Rice War, the Top 100 Hotel Awards, B2B networking sessions, and country days and product launches
As part of the African Tourism Conference, focused sessions were held on domestic tourism, women in tourism, and youth tourism. The final day emphasized the business side of travel, with sessions on insurance, cargo and exports, and youth engagement in tourism.
Since its inception, Akwaaba has evolved into a global platform for networking, business development, cultural promotion, and knowledge exchange. It consistently attracts leading African destinations, global travel brands, and key industry stakeholders.
Speaking on the impact of this year’s event, the organisers stated:
“Akwaaba continues to be the melting pot of Africa’s tourism, aviation, and hospitality industries. With strong partnerships from leading players such as Air Peace, Lagos State, Gambia, Wakanow, and Interswitch, this edition once again showcased Africa’s potential as the world’s next tourism frontier.”
The 21st edition of Akwaaba not only spotlighted the growing influence of Lagos as Africa’s tourism and business hub, but also boosted opportunities for airlines, hospitality providers, and local entrepreneurs across the continent.