By Iyabo Adebisi
Oyo state Governor,Engineer Seyi Makinde has given assurance to investors that his administration has created a system where investment will be structured and protected.
Governor Makinde stated this in Ibadan at the 2026 International Tourism Summit organized by the state government held at the International Conference Centre,Ibadan.
He also reiterated that, his administration would not only be showcasing tourism assets but building structures to institutionalize them beyond his term in office.
Governor Makinde while saying the ongoing initiatives in the state’s tourism sector clearly demonstrated why Oyo State was poised to become the tourism capital of South-West Nigeria noted that the state government’s approach had been deliberate and strategic beyond initiating projects.
He told investors that engaging with Oyo state would lead to engaging with a structured and coordinated system where projects would be guided by clear frameworks and long-term plans rather than personalities.
Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, at the summit advocated the establishment of a South-West tourism circuit that would serve as the region’s international gateway for tourism, with the tourist attractions of each state strategically interconnected.
While commending Governor Seyi Makinde for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area initiative, Dr Fayemi urged the governor to embrace continuity as a development strategy, stressing that sustained policies and governance were essential for meaningful development.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun said tourism in Oyo state was no longer being approached in isolation but as a coordinated government responsibility.
The 2026 tourism summit which had its theme :“from ground work to governance: Building tourism that endures” was a vision to position Oyo state as a governed investment ready sector anchored to long term planning, institutional alignment, and sustainable economic impact.
Edited by Taiwo Akinola
