The organiser of Akwaaba African Market and Accra Weizo, Ambassador Ikechi Uko has Ambassador Uko has outlined strategies in identifying business, trade and investment prospects in emerging Africa’s travel and tourism market

In his keynote lecture titled, identifying business, trade and investment prospects in emerging Africa’s travel and tourism market, on the recently concluded Annual General Meeting, AGM of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, NANTA , Ambassador Uko
stressed the need for individuals to develop unique product that can be scaled across Nations.

He advised new business, trade and investment prospects in emerging Africa’s travel and tourism market master their immediate environment and trial their products for at least three years before venturing beyond the borders.

According to him: “African event that had attendees only from the neighbouring community was touted as a Continental event. This habit is popular in Ghana and now Nigeria. Every Aba business is InterBiz and everything in Owerri is International. Every Trader is importer and export but they only import. Even if your product name is aspirational, try and master your demons domestically before venturing out”.

He advised on the need for new business prospects to adapt their product to fit the new environment they want to enter.

Uko noted that visa openness is key, adding that though it is bedevilled by stereotypes and xenophobia inherited from Colonial old wife’s tales.

The organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market while observing that collaboration is important, noted that from his experience, most people who ask for collaboration have no value to offer.

He advised , build your value then you seek a symbiotic partnership. Don’t seek for partnership when you offer no value to the partner. You must give something back”.

On the role of the government in this aspect, Ambassador Uko explained that it is probably only Kenya , Rwanda and to some Extent South Africa truly understand the role a State can play in developing the capacity of its citizens in global trade.

Rwanda started out with Visa On Arrival for all Africans on the African Mainland. Today it is a model being copied by others.To access the possibilities in Africa, a Government has to come to the table.This is where we need experienced people in Government or assisting them. I recall the role played by the East African Tourism Platform EATP in driving the Common East African Visa, Uko stated.

He pointed out that Nigeria started producing homemade Billionaires once it reformed its economy and built resilient Banks.

According to him: “The Dangotes made their Billions by Selling to 200 million Nigerians. Imagine what can happen when we can all sell to 1 billion Africans. Look at Afrobeats and Amapiano.”

On airline access, the organiser of Accra Weizo, noted that things are changing with the emergence of Uganda Airlines, Air Tanzania, ASKY and Air Peace joining the giants of RwandAir, Kenya Airways, South African Airways and the very successful Ethiopian Airlines while EgyptAir, Royal Air Maroc, TAAG Angola are also deepening their Pan African network.

He called for Increase in the frequency of communal events like the football tournament like AFCON.

In his words “It should be an annual Event. The last one in Cote d’Ivoire unified Africans for one month as the online banter and battles created new bonds. ( Nigeria will stop beating South Africa in Football when they return our Grammy that Tyla won and change the name of Amapiano to Awapiano. We love that music genre and want to own it.)
Fight Foreign Generated Stereotypes. I have travelled frequently around Africa and feel at home eating African foods. I love the Beauty of the African woman and the Hospitality of Africans. Across Africa I have also seen the hostility and the unfriendliness of some cultures towards other Africans.
Most stereotypes were inherited. Some come from negative branding and inferiority complexes”.

He said Africa must fight the so called developmental journalism that reinforces negative stereotypes and troupes.

He emphasized the need to kill xenophobia and stereotypes for the Africa we all desire to materialize.

On insights into emerging businesses in travel and trade in Africa, Uko listed businesses that are thriving across borders to include: Agro Business, Banking with Nigerian Banks, Travels – Honeymoon Packages, communication – TV, Movies, Telecoms, Events – Afrochella, Carnival Calabar, Nyege Nyege.

While on religious tourism, Uko listed Sheikh Nyas of Tyiania, TB Joshua, Redeemed Christian Church, and Uganda Matrys.

He said the most important thing to do for wealth in Africa is to create sameness.

He explained that American wealth arrived when all cities and town started looking alike with slight flavour.

Uko observed that: ” To roll out grand wealth you need some sameness. It is happening with DSTV, Shoprite, Orange Telecom South Africa, MTN, Zenith Bank. First Mile and Last Mile Logistics Medical Tourism Online Ticketing for Events across Africa Online Gaming and Gambling on African Events and Products Fashion product Distribution
Huge Ferry Services on Lake Victoria Huge Ferry Services in Congo DRC Low Cost Carriers in Congo and CEMAC Region Low Cost Carriers in Manu River Basin Region of West Africa. Payment Platforms across Borders Insurance across borders specialisation across borders.

“For Example; In West Africa some years ago, there were five mega events across the 15 countries and ECOWAS endorsed some of them. Roots festival in Gambia was for Diaspora engagement Daka’art in Senegal was for Visual Arts Fespaaco in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso is for Movies and Videos Panafest in Ghana is for African Cultural engagement. Akwaaba African Travel Market is for Tourism and Travel But some countries watered down their products and others were cannibalised.”

He pointed out that copycats arrived on the scene and turned the environment into a red ocean.

He stated that because of the mediocrity of most copycats they all failed.

“A case in point is the Guinness World Records. After Hilda Baci won the Record over 100 Africans jumped into the fray. They all failed due to mediocrity.
But since Tunde Onakoya won the 58 hours Chess marathon no African has come to challenge his record because you need high intelligence to beat his record.So most Africans will mess up and muddle the waters of any Product because of Mediocrity and Capacity.Therefore, define your own niche, master it and then scale to the top”, Uko concluded.