LCCI leads push for digital tourism ecosystem in Nigeria

By Yinka Kolawole & Adaobi Abimbola

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called for the development of a digitally intelligent tourism ecosystem in Nigeria, urging the government and private sector to leverage artificial intelligence (AI), digital infrastructure and data-driven solutions to unlock the sector’s economic potential.

President of LCCI, Engr. Leye Kupoluyi, made the call in Lagos yesterday at a conference organised by the chamber’s Hotel and Tourism Group to commemorate the 2026 World Tourism Day, with the theme, “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redefine Tourism.”

Kupoluyi said digital technologies were fundamentally transforming the global tourism industry, changing how travellers discover destinations, plan journeys, make bookings and experience hospitality services.

He noted that Nigeria could leverage AI and digital innovation to boost tourism’s contribution to economic diversification, citing the country’s rich cultural heritage, festivals, historical sites, beaches, wildlife, cuisine and entertainment industry as significant tourism assets.

According to him, unlocking the sector’s economic value requires connecting these assets to investment, infrastructure, transportation, hospitality, digital platforms, security, skills and effective destination management.

“The opportunity, therefore, is not simply to put tourism online. It is to build a data-driven tourism ecosystem,” he said.

The LCCI president called for a coherent national digital tourism strategy integrating tourism with telecommunications, transportation, aviation, culture, immigration, security, finance and digital economy policies.

He identified reliable broadband connectivity and electricity as critical infrastructure for digital tourism, stressing the need to expand affordable, quality internet access across tourism destinations.

Kupoluyi also urged the government to establish an appropriate regulatory framework for responsible AI, highlighting data privacy, cybersecurity, consumer protection and accountability as essential safeguards.

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