Chibuikem Diala
The Delta State Government deserves commendation for convening the 2026 Delta Economic and Investment Summit, InvestDelta, in Asaba. At a time when sub-national governments must compete for capital, jobs and new sources of economic growth, creating a platform that brings government, investors, development institutions and the private sector around one table is both timely and necessary.
Under the theme, ‘Harnessing Our Strengths, Unlocking Our Potentials’, the summit made a strong case for economic diversification and investment in Delta.
One area that deserves even greater attention in the next phase of this conversation is tourism.
Importantly, tourism was not absent from InvestDelta. The official investment platform identifies Tourism/Hospitality and the Creative Economy as an investment opportunity and highlights assets including McCarthy Beach, Mungo Park House, Maryam Babangida Leisure Park and the Film Village.
The opportunity now is to move from identifying these and other assets to properly structuring them as investment propositions.
Tourism is not simply about hotels, beaches and sightseeing. It is an economic value chain connecting accommodation, transportation, aviation, food and beverage, entertainment, culture, events, agriculture, retail, creative industries and thousands of small businesses.
For Delta, the opportunity is particularly compelling. The State’s coastline, rivers, cultural heritage, festivals, historical sites and growing hospitality and creative sectors provide the foundations for a diversified tourism economy.
The economic possibilities are significant.
According to data presented by InvestDelta, based on National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data, Delta State’s 2024 GDP was estimated at N16.97 trillion.
If tourism and its associated value chains were deliberately developed to contribute even 3 per cent of the current economy, that would represent economic activity of approximately N509 billion annually. At 5 per cent, the figure would approach N849 billion.
The employment opportunity is equally significant. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Nigeria Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2023, Delta State recorded 1,999,112 employed persons. While newer national labour-force data are available, this published state-level figure provides a useful baseline for illustrating the scale of the opportunity.
If tourism and its associated value chains were deliberately developed to support even two–five per cent of that employment base, the potential would be in the region of 40,000–100,000 jobs across hospitality, attractions, transportation, events, culture, entertainment, food, retail and community enterprises.
These are illustrative scenarios, not projections, but they demonstrate the scale of what a properly developed tourism economy could contribute to Delta’s employment landscape.
And this is exactly where the conversation should now go.
Could Delta develop a Tourism Investment Portfolio identifying priority destinations, bankable projects, required infrastructure, investment values, PPP or concession models, projected visitor numbers, employment potential and expected economic returns?
The State’s emerging blue-economy agenda also presents an opportunity to connect marine and river tourism with waterfront development, eco-tourism, leisure and hospitality.
As the implementation of InvestDelta 2026 progresses, tourism should therefore be part of the investment conversation—not merely as an attraction, but as an economic industry capable of generating investment, employment, enterprise and sustainable revenue.
The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Delta State Chapter, welcomes the State Government’s investment initiative and is ready to work with government and the private sector in developing this agenda.
Delta has the assets. The opportunity now is to turn those assets into investable tourism opportunities—and tourism into a stronger pillar of Delta’s economic future.