Lagos State Strengthens Grassroots Tourism with Local Officers

The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to deepen grassroots tourism development with the engagement of tourism officers across the state’s 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). The engagement was led by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Bopo Oyekan-Ismaila, as part of the state’s strategy to unlock community-based tourism opportunities.

The meeting, held on Monday at the Ministry’s headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja, focused on strengthening collaboration between the Ministry and Local Government Tourism Officers under the Lagos State Local Government Tourism Officers (LALOTO). Discussions centered on identifying and promoting tourism assets at the local level to drive economic growth and cultural preservation.

Speaking at the meeting, Mrs. Oyekan-Ismaila urged tourism officers to adopt innovative and community-driven approaches in developing tourism initiatives that can be jointly packaged and promoted with the Ministry. She emphasized the need for proper documentation, improved accessibility, and enhanced visibility of tourism and heritage sites to make them globally competitive.

The Permanent Secretary also disclosed that the Ministry is reviewing and compiling an updated Lagos State Tourism Calendar. She charged local tourism officers to promptly submit details of tourism potentials and proposed events within their jurisdictions, explaining that the goal is to ensure vibrant tourism and cultural activities take place throughout every month of the year.

Responding on behalf of LALOTO, the President of the association and Head of Tourism Unit, Epe Local Government Area, Dr. Nurudeen Damilare Shoye, commended the Ministry for the engagement. He reaffirmed the commitment of local tourism officers to supporting the state’s tourism vision and outlined several proposed cultural and tourism events for 2026, while calling for sustained collaboration to position Lagos as a premier tourism destination in Africa.