The Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, Yussif Jajah, has reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthening regional partnerships to accelerate tourism development, investment, and cultural exchange across Africa.

He made the remarks during Safari World's Executive Dinner in honour of the Executive Council of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) at the Safari Valley Resort in Dawu, Okere District, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, following a five-day familiarisation tour of the resort's tourism facilities.

The event brought together government officials, tourism stakeholders, and private sector leaders to explore opportunities for deeper collaboration between Ghana and Nigeria while promoting Ghana as a premier eco-tourism destination.

Earlier in the day, the NANTA delegation toured Safari Eco Parks One, Two, and Three, where members experienced Ghana's diverse wildlife and conservation efforts firsthand. Guided by wildlife experts, they learned about the various animal species and enjoyed close encounters with some of the animals in their natural habitat.

The immersive experience formed part of Safari World's strategy to introduce Ghana's growing ecotourism offerings to one of Africa's largest travel trade associations to increase tourist arrivals from Nigeria and the wider African market.

Speaking at the Executive Dinner, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, Yussif Jajah, commended NANTA for taking the initiative to strengthen tourism relations between the two countries.

He described the engagement as the beginning of a stronger partnership that would deliver mutual economic benefits for both Ghana and Nigeria.

"We are building unity, and both countries will benefit from this partnership. This collaboration goes beyond NANTA. It is about strengthening the relationship between Ghana and Nigeria. Government is ready to support investors such as Safari World so the tourism sector can grow and compete not only within Africa but also on the global stage," he said.

Mr. Jajah also praised the vision of Safari World's Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Samuel Afari Dartey, saying the scale and quality of the investment demonstrated the immense potential of Ghana's tourism industry.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Safari World, Samuel Afari Dartey, called for greater national support to position tourism as a key driver of economic transformation, arguing that tourism offers more sustainable long-term value than dependence on natural resources alone.

According to him, African countries must strengthen intra-African trade and tourism by encouraging citizens to travel, invest, and do business within the continent.

"The government must encourage more people to visit Ghana and spend money here. Tourism is more valuable than many of the natural resources we continue to depend on. We should strengthen trade within Africa instead of exporting our resources elsewhere while importing products from outside the continent," he said.

Mr. Afari Dartey noted that Nigeria's population of more than 250 million people and its large economy present enormous opportunities for Ghana's tourism industry.

He urged stakeholders to actively market Ghana to the Nigerian market and other West African countries, stressing that Africa must take a larger share of the global tourism economy.

"We must bring people here to experience what Ghana has to offer while also promoting travel across West Africa. Tourism has the power to create jobs, generate revenue, and drive development without destroying the environment," he added.

He further explained that Safari World's vision is centred on eco-tourism, conservation, and environmental education.

"Our focus is to bring people closer to nature while promoting the sustainable management of wildlife, forests, and other natural resources. We want visitors to leave with knowledge, memorable experiences, and a greater appreciation for nature," he said.

President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies, Dr. Yinka Folami, described Safari World as one of the most impressive tourism destinations he had visited anywhere in the world.

He praised the scale of the development and pledged that NANTA would actively promote the destination across Nigeria through its nationwide membership.

"I have travelled extensively, and I have not seen anything quite like this. The size of this development is extraordinary. We have over 4,000 members across Nigeria, and we will market this destination in every part of the country. We also encourage our Ghanaian brothers and sisters to promote tourism to Nigeria so we can grow together," he said.

Dr. Folami disclosed that NANTA intends to enter into strategic partnerships with Safari World to convert the growing interest into commercial opportunities for travel agencies in both countries.

The Executive Dinner concluded the familiarisation tour with renewed commitments from the government, Safari World, and NANTA to deepen tourism cooperation, promote cross-border travel, and position Ghana as a leading destination for sustainable ecotourism, investment, and cultural experiences in Africa.