Nigeria was Ghana’s second-largest source of international tourists in 2025, behind the United States, with more than 176,000 Nigerian visitors recorded during the year.
The figures were revealed by Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Yussif Jajah, at an executive dinner held at Safari Valley Resort in Ghana.
The West African country, known for its gold coast, hospitality and tourist attractions, welcomed 1.3 million international arrivals in 2025. Visitors from the United States formed the largest group, while Nigeria ranked second.
“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,” Jajah said.
The event was organised for the National Executive Council of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), which was in Ghana for a retreat and an official familiarisation tour of Safari World, one of the country’s leading leisure and tourism destinations.
Jajah said the Nigerian figure could be higher than the official total suggested.
“Out of that 1.3 million, 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,” he stated.
“We appreciate that, but despite this number, we know it’s more than this number; 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 from our Ghanaians who always visit Nigeria, so that we can synergise. This exemplifies a strong people-to-people connection between our countries,” he added.
NANTA president Yinka Folami said the relationship between Ghana and Nigeria reflected the wider principles of pan-Africanism.
“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.
He recalled being taught at school by a Ghanaian geography teacher who explained that Africa’s borders had been created for administrative purposes.
“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,” he added, urging Africans to promote travel spots inside the continent. It would be a sin for any Nigerian or African not to promote or support Safari World since we are one continent.
Folami praised the investment in Safari World, saying the development could create new commercial opportunities for professionals working in the travel industry.
Ghana’s 2025 Tourism Report said the country remained one of Africa’s leading travel destinations, despite what it described as slow development.
More than 1.79 million visitors were recorded across 55 tourist destinations in Ghana, while domestic tourism remained strong.
The report also highlighted the continuing performance of the “December in GH” campaign. Tourist arrivals in December 2025 increased by more than 11% compared with December 2024, suggesting growing interest in Ghana’s festive tourism programme and the success of initiatives aimed at the diaspora.
The number of licensed tourism businesses also rose, from 6,702 to 7,109.
Ghana recorded 18 cruise ship calls during the year, with more than 5,400 passengers arriving through the ports of Tema and Takoradi.
However, the report noted that the rise in visitor numbers did not lead to an increase in international tourism income.
“international tourism receipts fell from approximately US$4.83 billion in 2024 to US$4.34 billion in 2025 despite an increase in arrivals”.
