Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State is ready to obtain a significant worldwide breakthrough because the Developing-8 (D-8) Organisation for Economic Cooperation has chosen the state to host its fifth ministerial assembly and sixth Senior Officials’ Meeting scheduled for October 28 to 30, 2026.
The high-level gathering, which is able to maintain on the iconic Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, is anticipated to place Ekiti on the centre of world diplomatic and tourism conversations, bringing collectively ministers, senior authorities officers and coverage consultants from among the world’s rising economies.
The improvement represents one other main milestone in the state’s rising profile as a tourism vacation spot, funding and worldwide conferences, following sustained efforts by the administration of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to reposition Ekiti’s pure, cultural and financial property for world relevance.
Findings by THISDAY revealed that the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy has commenced preparations for the landmark occasion, with the Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa, initiating official engagements with the Ekiti State Government and different crucial stakeholders in the direction of making certain a profitable internet hosting.
The D-8 member nations — Nigeria, Türkiye, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran and Azerbaijan — are anticipated to converge on Ekiti for discussions centred on financial cooperation, commerce, tourism improvement and sustainable development.
Beyond the formal ministerial classes, the programme is anticipated to characteristic tourism exhibitions, cultural showcases, funding displays and guided excursions designed to expose delegates to Ekiti’s wealthy heritage, indigenous delicacies, hospitality business and funding alternatives.
The selection of Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, certainly one of Nigeria’s most celebrated tourism locations, has been described by stakeholders as a big endorsement of Ekiti’s emergence as a peaceable and engaging vacation spot for conferences, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).
Industry observers famous that the choice displays the rising visibility of the state, pushed by investments in infrastructure, safety, tourism promotion and insurance policies geared toward enhancing the benefit of doing enterprise.
The transformation of Ekiti’s street community, strengthening of safety structure, aggressive promotion of tourism property and the completion of the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport have continued to improve the state’s accessibility and enchantment to guests and buyers.
Since business flight operations commenced in December 2025, the state has witnessed improved connectivity, offering contemporary alternatives for enterprise tourism, conferences and funding engagements.
Ekiti has additionally continued to entice nationwide recognition for its tourism drive, rising as Nigeria’s Most Active Tourism State for 3 consecutive years — a feat that has additional strengthened its popularity as one of many nation’s fastest-growing tourism locations.
For the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, led by Director-General, Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre, the D-8 assembly supplies one other strategic platform to showcase the state’s tourism potentials earlier than an influential world viewers and deepen the imaginative and prescient of creating tourism a significant pillar of financial improvement.
Beyond the status of internet hosting worldwide dignitaries, the occasion is anticipated to generate financial advantages throughout the hospitality, transportation, leisure, meals, arts and inventive sectors, whereas creating new pathways for funding partnerships and worldwide vacation spot advertising.
Although the Federal Government has not publicly attributed the selection of Ekiti to any particular achievement, the internet hosting of the D-8 Ministerial Meeting supplies the state with a big alternative to showcase the impression of its investments in peace, safety, infrastructure and tourism improvement.
