Emirates’ commitment to Africa earns top award

Emirates has been honoured with the Travel Gold Award of Excellence for Connecting Africa to the World in recognition of its outstanding contribution and continued commitment to African tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.

The Award was presented at the Africa Tourism & Creative Economy Expo (AFTCREE), in partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism, on 25 November in Abuja. There was also the formal unveiling of the “Culture Meter”, which in essence, is a tool to track Africa’s tourism index and progress.

The award recognises Emirates’ sustained investment in Africa’s tourism and creative sectors, driven by long-term partnerships with governments and tourism bodies

Earlier this year, the airline expanded its collaboration with several African tourism authorities, including Nigeria’s Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, to attract more international visitors and position Nigeria as a leading destination in Africa.

Read also: Emirates maintains position as world’s most profitable airline with $3.3bn profit

These partnerships support Nigeria’s broader tourism development agenda, which aims to upgrade infrastructure, expand hospitality offerings, and enhance air connectivity between Nigeria and major global markets.

Paulos Legesse, Emirates Country Manager for Nigeria, who accepted the award on behalf of the airline, said: “This award reflects the trust and confidence Nigerian travellers place in Emirates. Our commitment goes far beyond operating flights — we strive to deliver a seamless, world-class travel experience at every touchpoint. From our onboard comfort to our hospitality on the ground and our extensive global network, we aim to make every journey exceptional.

“Since launching operations in Nigeria, Emirates has proudly served as a gateway between Africa and Dubai, connecting Nigerian travellers not only to the UAE but to more than 150 destinations worldwide. We remain committed to opening doors for Nigerians in business, leisure, education, and culture through unmatched connectivity and service excellence.”

The Africa Tourism & Creative Economy Expo (AFTCREE) was organised by Africultour Limited, in partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, under the theme: “Optimising Africa’s Comparative and Competitive Advantage for Accelerated Trade and Economic Growth.”

Read also: Nigerian travellers to benefit as Emirates rolls out 700 winter deals

Chuks Akamadu, CEO of Africultour Limited, applauded Emirates airline for raising the standard of international travel, championing regional tourism, and playing a pivotal role in connecting Africa to the world.

He pledged that AFTCREE will continue to provide “a unique platform for African nations to leverage their cultural and creative assets to drive trade, investment, and sustainable growth.”

Emirates is the world’s largest international airline, operating a modern fleet consisting of Airbus A380S, A350S and Boeing 777s to over 150 destinations across six continents. In Nigeria, Emirates operates daily flights between Dubai and Lagos, providing seamless connectivity to its global network and supporting tourism, trade, and business development across Africa.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers.

She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay.

She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos.

As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender.

She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies.

Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category.

She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category.

She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations.

Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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