Group advocates reduced tourism costs in Africa

L–R: Gbenga Onitilo; Principal Managing Partner, Aeronexus Partners Ltd, Ikechi Uko; Convener of Akwaaba Travel Market, Moyo Ogunseinde, Group CEO, Club Concierge Africa, David Batur; Managing Director & CEO, Sehembz Travels Group; and Fuad Adigun, Global Head of Engineering, Gopaddi at Akwaaba Travel Market 2026.

Club Concierge Africa has called for closer collaboration between regulators, payment providers and tourism operators to address payment infrastructure gaps raising the cost of travel across Africa. This comes as the continent recorded about 81 million international visitors in 2025. According to a statement, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Club Concierge Africa, Moyo Ogunseinde, made the call during a panel session titled ‘Tourism and the Challenges of Cross-Border Payment’ at the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market 2026 held recently in Lagos. Other panellists at the session included the President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, Dr Alex Nwuba; the Principal Managing Partner of Aeronexus Partners Limited, Gbenga Onitilo; the Global Head of Engineering at Gopaddi, Fuad Adigun; and the Chief Executive Officer of Grin Ace DMC, Dozie Obi. Ogunseinde said tourism transactions routinely cut across airlines, hotels, destination management companies, tour operators and other service providers, often involving different countries, currencies and financial systems, and that delayed or difficult payments raise the cost of business and time while hurting customer experience.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google She noted that operators are often left to navigate fragmented payment systems on their own despite the challenges cutting across the wider tourism ecosystem. She also argued that while businesses must continue exploring available technology and alternative payment solutions, regulators also have a role to play in enabling more efficient cross-border transactions. Ogunseinde said African countries need to move beyond developing independent policies and payment frameworks in isolation, such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System and the African Continental Free Trade Area, and instead build payment infrastructure systems that communicate with one another to reduce the need for settlements to leave the continent before being routed back to recipients in other African countries. Before Stardom With…Presh Chuks Two Lagos women remanded over cyberstalking ‘Nigeria battling foundational problems’ She called for tourism operators and regulators to engage more directly around existing policies rather than waiting for implementation challenges to expose gaps in the system. “Travel should be easier, faster and better connected. Payment is part of that experience. If we want people to travel more easily across Africa, then we have to build systems that allow them to pay, receive and transact without unnecessary friction,” Ogunseinde advised. She said her position reflects a broader need for collaboration across Africa’s tourism and financial ecosystem, particularly as intra-African travel and regional economic integration continue to develop. She added that efficient cross-border payment can determine whether bookings are completed, suppliers are paid on time and customers move through their journeys without friction. Meanwhile, the Lagos State First Lady, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who declared the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market open, described the event as a valuable platform for tourism professionals and said Lagos’s tourism and hospitality sector remains central to the state’s identity, economy and global appeal. “Over the years, Akwaaba has provided a valuable platform for tourism professionals,” Ibijoke said. The Lagos first lady added that the event showcases Lagos’s culture, creativity, warmth and potential as a destination for business, leisure, entertainment and investment. Club Concierge Africa, which exhibited at the three-day travel market, used its presence to introduce its travel and hospitality ecosystem, comprising brands such as Club Concierge International, GoTravelCC, GoPartnerCC and MytravelCC, to industry stakeholders and to explore opportunities for collaboration across African travel markets. Arinze Nwafor Arinze Nwafor is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with five years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s economy, industry, data, metro, and judiciary. He focuses on highlighting growth, policy, and market challenges shaping Africa’s largest economy. Arinze’s reporting reflects practical newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a strong commitment to accurate, informative, and audience-focused journalism.

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