The Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sesan Fagbayi, on Friday announced the concession of the renovated Olumo Rock Tourist Centre to Whatadeal Africa.
The move is aimed at ensuring better management, improved revenue generation, and the repositioning of the ancient site as a foremost global tourism destination.
Fagbayi disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Olumo Rock Tourist Site after signing the concession agreement with the Managing Director of Whatadeal Africa, Fela Bank-Olemoh.
The commissioner said the handover of the tourist centre to the travel and tours company was born out of the present administration’s commitment to leveraging public-private partnerships to drive economic prosperity, infrastructure upgrades and improved social well-being for residents of the state.
He said the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun would continue to create an enabling environment for businesses and investors to thrive, thereby boosting job creation, wealth generation and shared economic prosperity.
“You will recall that the administration of His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, recently embarked on the massive renovation of Olumo Rock and upgraded its facilities to make the site more attractive to tourists,” Fagbayi said.
“Before the extensive renovation, which was completed around July, the state was generating less than N50m to N60m annually from the site. After the renovation, there has been a significant increase in revenue generation.
“Now that the government has put structures in place to make Olumo Rock more attractive and beautiful, we felt it was necessary to hand it over to professionals with the capacity to manage it better, improve its global visibility and drive economic activities around it for our shared prosperity,” he added.
Speaking at the briefing, the Managing Director of Whatadeal Africa, Fela Bank-Olemoh, commended Abiodun’s administration for prioritising public-private partnerships as a tool for economic growth and development.
He reiterated the company’s commitment to making Olumo Rock the most visited tourist site in Nigeria, with a target of attracting at least 150,000 visitors annually.
He said, “We are bringing international standards into what we are doing here. Indigenous people will also be involved in running operations, and we will introduce various programmes to drive tourist traffic. Our ticketing platform is already operational.
“If the site previously recorded about 70,000 visitors annually, our goal is to double that figure. We are targeting over 150,000 tourists every year.
“We have been in this business for 30 years, and we are assuring the people of Ogun State and Nigeria that Olumo Rock will become the most visited tourist site in the country. When people plan trips to Africa, they will say they want to visit Olumo Rock.
“When you come to Nigeria, visiting Olumo Rock will be one of the must-do activities. We will also provide insurance coverage for all visitors, among other initiatives, to ensure a safe and memorable experience.”
Abiodun had inaugurated the newly renovated Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in July after it was shut down in April 2025,
He disclosed that the tourist centre was officially opened for business, and would be free to all members of the public for two months, just for the people to have a taste of the renovated centre
The centre comprises a galleria that contains artworks made up of pictures of eminent Nigerians, a gazebo, a restaurant that will serve both local and continental dishes, shops for selling adire fabrics, and a standby generator that will power the newly installed elevators and other facilities.
One unique renovation was the introduction of ticketing, both online and onsite.
While speaking at the event, Abiodun noted that the innovation will boost local commerce, empower the youth and build a thriving cultural and creative economy.
“We invite you to come and experience Olumo Rock free of charge. Come see and be inspired by the origins of Olumo Rock,” he said.
According to the Journal of Tourism and Heritage Studies (2024), Nigeria’s tourism sector is rich in cultural and natural resources but remains largely underdeveloped due to challenges such as insecurity, poor infrastructure, inconsistent government policies and inadequate service quality.
These factors have limited the sector’s contribution to GDP and hindered economic diversification efforts.
The study noted that while domestic tourism has shown relative growth, international tourism remains constrained, despite government incentives and the popularity of destinations such as the Obudu Cattle Ranch.
