Nigeria boosts Ghana tourism as 176,000 visitors made trips to Ghana in 2025, strengthening cultural and travel ties between both nations
Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Yusif Jajah, disclosed in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, that Nigeria has become the country’s second largest tourism source market after recording more than 176,000 Nigerian visitors in 2025.
Jajah made the announcement during an executive dinner held in honour of the National Executive Council of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), where he highlighted the growing impact of Nigerian travellers on Ghana’s tourism industry.
Ghana recorded more than 1.3 million international tourist arrivals in 2025, with the United States emerging as the largest source market, while Nigeria followed closely in second place.
The development reflects the strong historical, cultural and economic connections between both West African countries, with tourism increasingly becoming an important channel for people-to-people engagement.
Jajah described Nigeria as one of Ghana’s most strategic tourism partners, saying the visitor figures demonstrate the strength of the relationship between the two nations.
“Although the number recorded exceeded 176,000 arrivals from Nigeria, we believe the actual figure could be higher,” Jajah said, adding that the statistics showed the depth of the existing bond between Ghana and Nigeria.
He encouraged stronger cooperation among government agencies, travel companies and tourism stakeholders to further expand movement between both countries.
Jajah also called for greater balance in tourism exchanges, expressing optimism that more Ghanaians would travel to Nigeria as both countries work towards strengthening regional tourism cooperation.
Nigeria’s growing role in Ghana’s tourism sector comes amid broader efforts by West African nations to promote regional travel, improve connectivity and increase the economic benefits of tourism.
The two countries have maintained close ties for decades through trade, entertainment, education, business and cultural exchanges. The tourism sector has increasingly become another area where both nations are seeking deeper collaboration.
Speaking at the event, President of NANTA, Yinka Folami, described the relationship between Nigeria and Ghana as central to tourism growth across West Africa.
Folami noted that NANTA, which recently marked its 50th anniversary, has developed into a major industry association with more than 4,000 travel professionals across Nigeria.
He said both countries have historically played significant roles in promoting Pan-African ideals and urged stakeholders to continue building partnerships that create opportunities within the travel industry.
“Ghana and Nigeria have always been connected through our people, culture and shared aspirations. Strengthening tourism links will benefit both countries,” Folami said.
Also speaking at the gathering, Founder of Safari World, Samuel Afari, said the engagement with Nigerian travel operators represented the achievement of a long-term vision to build stronger connections with Nigeria’s tourism market.
Afari said the partnership would create new commercial opportunities for businesses while encouraging greater movement of visitors across West Africa.
The latest figures position Nigeria as a key contributor to Ghana’s tourism growth and underline the potential for increased cooperation in hospitality, travel services and cultural tourism.
As both countries continue to promote regional integration, industry stakeholders believe stronger tourism partnerships could help drive economic growth and deepen relations between the two neighbouring nations.
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