Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Okezie Ikpeazu, has formally presented his letter of commission to the Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism), Shaikha Al Nowais.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The presentation, which took place at the UN Tourism headquarters in Madrid on Friday, officially accredited Ikpeazu as Nigeria’s permanent representative to the organisation and marked the commencement of his duties as the country’s chief envoy to the agency.
According to Adeniyi, Al Nowais, the first woman to head the organisation in its 50-year history, received the credentials, marking a renewed phase of cooperation between Nigeria and UN Tourism.
During a brief meeting following the ceremony, Al Nowais praised Nigeria’s active involvement in the organisation’s activities and expressed her willingness to work with Ikpeazu to strengthen their partnership.
Ikpeazu was accompanied to the ceremony by Kimiebi Ebienfa, a senior counsellor at the Nigerian Embassy in Madrid.
The ministry said the development reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with the international tourism community and advancing its strategic interests within the United Nations system.
It added that Ikpeazu’s accreditation would enable him to utilise Madrid’s position as the organisation’s headquarters to promote Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy.
Speaking at the occasion, the ambassador highlighted Nigeria’s tourism opportunities, citing its diverse cultures, vibrant music, internationally recognised Nollywood film industry, colourful festivals and seasonal celebrations such as ‘Detty December’, which attract visitors from across the world.
In his capacity as permanent representative, Ikpeazu is expected to present Nigeria’s tourism priorities, build partnerships with member states, and encourage foreign investment and technical cooperation under the UN Tourism framework.
Adeniyi noted that the assignment aligns with the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda, which identifies tourism and the creative industries as important sectors for economic growth and job creation.
He further stated that Nigeria remains actively involved in UN Tourism programmes, including the admission of the Eko Tourism Foundation as an Affiliate Member during the organisation’s 126th Executive Council Session in Toledo, Spain.
