Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has presented his Letters of Commission to UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nowais, formally assuming his role as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations tourism agency.
The credential presentation ceremony took place at the organisation’s headquarters in Madrid on Friday, November 13, and signalled Nigeria’s renewed commitment to strengthening cooperation with the global tourism body.
Following the presentation, Al Nowais commended Nigeria’s active participation in UN Tourism programmes and expressed readiness to work closely with Ambassador Ikpeazu to further deepen relations between the organisation and Nigeria.
Speaking during the meeting, Ikpeazu conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and highlighted Nigeria’s tourism potential, citing the country’s cultural diversity, music industry, Nollywood film sector, festivals and seasonal attractions such as Detty December.
As Permanent Representative, Ikpeazu will represent Nigeria’s tourism interests within UN Tourism, promote partnerships with member states and support efforts to attract investment and technical cooperation opportunities.
The appointment aligns with Nigeria’s broader economic diversification agenda, which identifies tourism and the creative industries as important contributors to economic growth and job creation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the accreditation also marks a new phase of engagement with UN Tourism under Al Nowais, who is the first woman to head the organisation in its 50-year history.
Nigeria has remained active within the UN Tourism framework, including the recent admission of the Eko Tourism Foundation as an Affiliate Member during the 126th Session of the Executive Council in Toledo, Spain.
Ikpeazu’s concurrent role as Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain is expected to further support the country’s tourism and cultural diplomacy efforts through closer engagement with the Madrid-based organisation.
