Eko Hotels At 50: Tourism Not A Soft Sector But A Hard Economic Strategy, Says Sanwo-Olu
Sanwo-Olu urges stronger public-private collaboration during Eko Hotels’ Legacy Summit, says tourism remains critical to Africa’s economic growth and youth development.
Sanwo-Olu urges stronger public-private collaboration during Eko Hotels’ Legacy Summit, says tourism remains critical to Africa’s economic growth and youth development.
Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described tourism as a critical economic strategy rather than a “soft sector,” stressing that stronger collaboration between government and the private sector is essential for Africa’s hospitality industry to thrive.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on the first day of the Africa Legacy Summit 2026 held at Eko Hotels & Suites, on Friday, where policymakers, tourism stakeholders, investors, creatives, and hospitality operators gathered to discuss the future of African culture and hospitality and mark the hospitality outlets 50th anniversary.
The governor said the Lagos State Government strongly believes in public-private partnerships, noting that governments alone cannot deliver the level of innovation and global standards required to grow the tourism industry.
According to him, while governments provide vision, regulation, and enabling environments, it is the private sector that drives creativity, investment, and world-class experiences.
Sanwo-Olu described Eko Hotels & Suites as a clear example of what effective partnerships can achieve when allowed to function properly, adding that the hospitality brand has continued to position itself as a major player in Africa’s tourism conversation.
“Government cannot provide it all. Government provides vision, it regulates and it creates an enabling environment, but it’s only the private sector, the creatives, world class standards, the likes of Eko hotels and suites and many others that are the clearest example of what partnership can produce when it’s allowed to work properly,” he said.
He also praised the summit’s pan-African focus, highlighting the presence of renowned Kenyan scholar Patrick Lumumba and diplomat Wallace Williams, alongside delegates from across Africa and the Caribbean.
According to the governor, Africa should begin to see itself as a “single cultural economy,” where travellers can experience a sense of continuity across African destinations.
Sanwo-Olu urged tourism and hospitality practitioners to focus on training and investing in young people, whom he described as the future of the industry.
“Our greatest export is the warmth and excellence of the Nigerian welcome. That cannot be left to chance,” he said.
The governor also challenged African stakeholders to tell their stories “unapologetically,” arguing that Africa has for too long been defined by outsiders unfamiliar with the continent’s realities and strengths.
He said hospitality and tourism provide powerful platforms for reshaping Africa’s global image through culture, storytelling, and shared experiences.
Sanwo-Olu assured industry stakeholders that the Lagos State Government would continue to support collaboration with the organised private sector, noting that sustainable tourism development requires collective effort.
