Fatima Garbati Tourism Outreach, a Non-Governmental Organisat”on (NGO), is supporting the tourism media, schools and travel clubs with the sum of N5 million grants at the forthcoming 20th Akwaaba African Travel Expo scheduled to hold in Lagos from September 22 through 24.

A statement by Mr. Ikechi Uko, the Convener of the event, said that the outreach team in a message to the organisers of 20th Akwaaba expo, said that it decided to support the different organisations following the passion Late Garbati had for the tourism industry in her lifetime.

The outreach said: “Fatima Garbati has always supported tourism events and groups. She was especially passionate about Akwaaba and never missed one event. So, it is only appropriate that we celebrate her memory here at Akwaaba.”

The statement hinted that recipients of the grant would be chosen by the organisers of Akwaaba.

Late Mrs. Fatima Garbati, an African Travel 100 award winner last served at the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Ile-Ife, Osun State in 2019.

She was the former President of NATOP, a former Deputy President of Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN), a Deputy Director of Marketing at Nigerian Airways, and a General Manager at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Consumer Protection Unit.

Garbati nurtured NATOP and led the association to the opening of the Calabar Tourism project that birthed the carnival.

In his comment, Uko explained that the organisers of Akwaaba had chosen 10 tourism and travel institutes that would benefit from all over the country.

He emphasised that the grants would go to the tourism departments and the best graduating students in the department.