Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has assumed duty as the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) following the presentation of his Letters of Commission to the organisation’s Secretary-General, Shaikha Al Nowais.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, on Sunday.
According to the statement, the presentation ceremony took place at the UN Tourism headquarters in Madrid, Spain, on Friday, November 13, 2026.
The ceremony formally accredited Ikpeazu as Nigeria’s chief envoy to the specialised United Nations agency, reflecting the country’s commitment to strengthening its engagement with the international tourism community and advancing its interests within the UN system.
During a meeting after the presentation, Al Nowais commended Nigeria’s participation in the organisation’s activities and expressed her readiness to work with the Nigerian ambassador to strengthen relations between both parties.
In his remarks, Ikpeazu conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s goodwill to the Secretary-General and highlighted Nigeria’s tourism potential, including its cultural diversity, music industry, Nollywood film industry, festivals and seasonal events such as Detty December.
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He said these attractions continued to attract international attention and provided opportunities to increase Nigeria’s visibility and participation in the global tourism market.
As Permanent Representative, Ikpeazu is expected to present Nigeria’s tourism priorities, strengthen partnerships with member states and promote foreign investment and technical cooperation under the UN Tourism framework.
The ministry said the appointment aligned with the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda, which identifies tourism and the creative industries as important sectors for economic growth and employment generation.
It added that his accreditation marked a new phase of engagement between Nigeria and the organisation, headed by Al Nowais, the first woman to lead UN Tourism in its 50-year history.
Nigeria has participated in several UN Tourism initiatives, including the recent admission of the Eko Tourism Foundation as an Affiliate Member during the organisation’s 126th Executive Council session in Toledo, Spain.
The ministry said Ikpeazu’s concurrent accreditation as Permanent Representative would enable Nigeria to use Madrid’s position as the headquarters of UN Tourism to advance its cultural diplomacy and tourism development objectives.
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