International Tourism Summit Oyo State #ITSOyoState2025
Programme
Theme: Sanctuary of Yoruba Heritage: A Celebration of Roots and Legacy
Date: 22-24 July 2025
Venue: Oyo Zone, Ibadan Zone, University of Ibadan Conference Centre
Day 1: Oyo Zone
Day 2: Curated Tour
Day 3 – Investor’s Summit
Day 3: Dinner & Awards
Day 1: Oyo Zone (22 July 2025)
Focus: Curated Tour
Visitors: 50 International and Local Guests
Time
Activity
7.30 am
Convergence Time
8.00 am
Take Off from Oyo State Secretariat + Breakfast
9:00 AM
Visit to Sogidi Lake
10:00 AM
Cultural Welcome Ceremony hosted by the Alaafin of Oyo
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Site Tour 1: Alaafin’s Palace & National Museum
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Site Tour 2: Africhatta Village
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Visit to Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub
5:00 PM
Light Refreshment + Departure and Return to Lodging
Day 2: Curated Tour – Ibadan Zone (23 July 2025)
Focus: Site visits and cultural experience
Visitors: 50 International and Local Guests
Time
Activity
7.30 am
Convergence Time
8.00 am
Take Off from Oyo State Secretariat + Breakfast
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Site Tour 1: Bower’s Tower, National Museum
10:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Cultural Welcome hosted by Olubadan of Ibadan
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch (Local Cuisine)
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Site Tour 2: Irefin Palace and Eleyele Lake
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Boat Rides and Cultural Stories (History of Ibadanland)
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Light Refreshments & Cultural Music
6:00 PM
Departure and Return to Lodging
Day 3 – Investor’s Summit
Date: Thursday, 24 July 2025
Venue: University of Ibadan International Conference Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State
Focus: Strategic investor engagement, deal-flow activation, and long-term partnership building
Time
Activity
Anchor
9.00 am
Investor Welcome, Breakfast & Recap of Day 1&2
Moderators
10.00 am
National/State Anthem
10.10 am
Establishment of Protocol
10.20 am
Welcome Remarks
10.25 am
Goodwill Messages
10.40 am
Opening Ceremony & Cultural Performances
Ministry of Culture and Tourism
11.00 am
Video Tour of Investment Sites
Slvr Wlf Digitale Ltd
11.10 am
Symposium: State Pitch Presentations
Eleyele Lake: Discover Blue Gold (Leisure, lifestyle, and waterfront investment in Ibadan)
Tilewa Folami, Director General, Oyo State Investment and Public Private Partnerships Agency
Ibadan Cultural Centre: Stage the Future (Transforming legacy infrastructure into a modern performance economy)
Dr Debo Akande, Executive Assistant to His Excellency Seyi Makinde on International Development and Co-Operation
Bower’s Tower: The View That Pays (Scenic tourism meets soft infrastructure returns)
Mrs Mofoluke Adebiyi,
EA New Towns & Cities Development Agency
Idere Hills & Iyake Lake: Climb Into Nature’s ROI
(Eco-tourism as a sustainable growth corridor)
Ms Neo Theodore Tlhaselo,
SA International Trade and AfCFTA
11.50
Q&A
Moderators
12.10 pm
Keynote Speech: The New Frontier: How Oyo State Is Setting the Pace for Subnational Tourism Investment in Nigeria
His Excellency Seyi Makinde, FNSE, Executive Governor of Oyo State.
12.40 pm
Exhibition Tour
His Excellency Seyi Makinde, FNSE, leads Special Guests and Investors on a tour of the exhibition stands
1.00 pm
Lunch
2.00 pm
Panel: Heritage as Capital: Reimagining Africa’s Cultural Assets for Sustainable Growth
Strategic Context (1): The Lost Economy – The Case for Heritage as Economic Infrastructure
Dr Emelia Assiakwa, 1st Vice President, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI)
Strategic Context (2): The Lost Economy – Heritage as a Tool for Cross-Border Collaboration
Thami Nqayi, Corporate Services Manager at the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI)
Panel Discussion:
Moderator: Edmund Obilo, Director of Research and Production at Bilficom Media Systems
Discussants:
Hon Catherine Afeku – Former Minister, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Ghana
Lulu Okonkwo – Project Management & IT Consultant, CleoAva Connect
Dr Kola Lawal – Head, Department of Tourism, The Polytechnic Ibadan
Q&A/ Photograph Session
3.00 pm
Presentation of the Oyo State 25-Year Tourism Masterplan Committee
His Excellency Seyi Makinde, FNSE, Executive Governor of Oyo State
3.30 pm
Oyo State Anthem
Day 3: Dinner & Awards Ceremony
Focus: Dinner with the Governor and Recognition of Tourism stakeholders and enablers that made a mark in 2024
Time
Programme Segment
Description / Notes
5:30 PM
Guest Arrival + Aafin Asa
MC
6.00 PM
National Anthem/Oyo State Anthem
6:00 PM
Opening Performance
Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Chairman’s Welcome Address
6:15 PM
Opening Remarks
Dr Wasiu Olatubosun Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Oyo state
6:25 PM
Keynote Toast
Ministry of Culture and Tourism
6:35 PM
Dinner is Served
Music
Award Presentations
Awards Set 1 – Cultural Excellence:
Youth in Tourism
Community Champion
Cultural Experience Provider
Creative Economy Trailblazer
Outstanding Heritage Conservation Project
Presented by:
Performance: Ewi
The Beauty of Yoruba Culture/Values
Awards Set 2 – Business & Impact
Tourism Media Advocate of the Year
Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year
Outstanding Tourism Start-Up / SME
Hospitality Excellence Award
Tourism Destination of the Year
Presented by:
Talking Drum Ensemble + Praise Chant Medley
Title: “Voices of Honour” – Àyàn & Ìjálá for the Crown and the Future: A tribute to the Governor and Traditional rulers that supported ITSOyoState2025
Awards Set 3 – Enabler Awards
Public Sector Tourism Enabler Award
Infrastructure Partner of the Year
Development Partner Award
Investment Ally Award
Diaspora Cultural Connector Award
Presented by:
Special Recognition Awards
Honorary awards to two strategic partners of the summit
Presented by His Excellency Seyi Makinde, FNSE
12.40 pm
Vote of Thanks
Delivered by Logistics Subcommittee Chair Dr Morohunkola Thomas
Closing Remarks
HE Seyi Makinde, FNSE
National Anthem