Ghana has revealed that more than 176,000 Nigerians visited the country in 2025, making Nigeria its second-largest source of international visitors after the United States.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mr. Yussif Jajah, disclosed this during an executive dinner hosted at Safari Valley Resort in Ghana in honour of the National Executive Council of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, which was in Ghana for a retreat and familiarisation tour of Safari World, one of the country’s leading leisure and tourism destinations.

Addressing the gathering, Jajah described Nigeria as a key partner in Ghana’s tourism growth, noting that collaboration between the two countries remains vital to increasing visitor numbers and strengthening regional integration.

“This executive dinner is an important platform for strengthening collaboration between our government, tourism stakeholders, and travel trade partners. Nigeria, our big brothers, remains one of Ghana’s most important tourism markets,” he said.

Citing Ghana’s 2025 Tourism Report, the Deputy Minister said the country recorded more than 1.3 million international arrivals during the year, with Nigerians accounting for over 176,000 of those visitors, reaffirming the country’s commitment to strengthening tourism and cultural ties with Nigeria

He said, “Out of that 1.3m, America is the first international arrival, and our big brother Nigeria is the second largest with over 176,000 international arrivals from Nigeria in the year 2025.”

“We appreciate that, but despite this number, we know it’s more than this number, but at least, it’s an indication of over 176,000 in the year 2025 international arrivals from Nigeria to Ghana. Thank you. We will be more than happy to also hear our Ghanaians who always visit Nigeria, so that we can synergise. This exemplifies a strong people-to-people connection between our countries.”

Speaking at the event, NANTA President, Dr Yinka Folami, said the association recently marked its 50th anniversary and now boasts of more than 4,000 members across Nigeria.

He said the enduring relationship between Ghana and Nigeria has continued to reflect the ideals of Pan-Africanism and should be further strengthened through tourism.

“One undeniable fact is that Ghana and Nigeria have always been on the positive side of Pan-Africanism. Every journey between Ghana and Nigeria will strengthen Pan-Africa,” Folami said.

Recalling lessons from his school days, he urged Africans to promote destinations within the continent, saying, “When I was in school, my geography teacher, a Ghanaian, would always tell us how Africa was partitioned, and that those maps are for administrative convenience. We are one continent, and it will be a sin for any Nigerian or African not to support or market Safari World.”

Commending the investment, Folami described Safari World as an exceptional tourism project capable of creating new business opportunities for travel professionals.

“And what you have built is breath-taking. And I want to thank you. So, because we now know, I’m putting this challenge to my colleagues. We must convert this to commercial opportunities for our members,” he said.

Folami also challenged Ghanaian tourism operators to actively promote Nigeria as a destination to their clients, saying tourism growth should benefit both countries through reciprocal partnerships.

Earlier, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Safari World, Mr Samuel Afari, described the visit by the Nigerian delegation as a significant milestone for regional tourism cooperation in West Africa.

The forest scientist and conservationist added that hosting NANTA was the realisation of a vision he had nurtured for more than 15 years to establish a lasting partnership with the Nigerian travel market.