The President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Dr. Badaki Aliyu, represented the President of the Confederation of Tourism Organisations of the West African Region (COPITOUR), Mr. Mamadou Racine Sy, at the 2nd ECOWAS Startup Awards, held from 28th to 30th September 2026 at the New ECOWAS Commission Headquarters, Abuja.
The event, organised by the Directorate of Private Sector and Industry (DPSI) of the ECOWAS Commission and implemented by PAOSM and IPAWS, was held under the theme: “Scaling West African Startups for Digital Transformation, Regional Integration and Sustainable Value Chain Ecosystem Development to Drive Market Access.” The programme brought together stakeholders focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, digital transformation and regional economic integration across West Africa.
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The presence of COPITOUR, represented by its President through Dr. Badaki Aliyu, at this important ECOWAS programme is a welcome development. It provides an opportunity for greater visibility and engagement for the regional tourism sector within the broader ECOWAS integration agenda.
It is also expected to contribute to building a stronger institutional relationship between COPITOUR and the ECOWAS Commission, particularly in areas where tourism intersects with digital innovation, entrepreneurship, regional value chains, investment, market access and sustainable development.
For COPITOUR, deeper engagement with the ECOWAS Commission can further strengthen the voice and visibility of the West African tourism private sector and create opportunities for collaboration in advancing tourism as a key driver of regional integration and economic development.
