NANTA, British Airways deepen 50-year partnership, seal training deal for travel professionals
Maureen Aguta
The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) and British Airways have moved to strengthen their decades-long partnership, with the airline pledging professional support for NANTA’s proposed training institute to enhance skills and global competitiveness in Nigeria’s travel industry.
The commitment was made on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, when NANTA’s National President, Dr. Yinka Folami, led members of the association’s National Executive Council on a courtesy visit to British Airways’ newly opened country office in Lagos.
The visit was aimed at congratulating the airline on its new office and exploring opportunities for deeper collaboration to advance the Nigerian travel trade.
The delegation was received by British Airways’ Regional Commercial Manager for West Africa, Mrs. Adetutu Otuyalo, and other senior management officials.
Speaking during the visit, Folami commended British Airways for its decades of resilience, professionalism and sustained confidence in the Nigerian market, describing the new office as a strategic investment that underscored the airline’s long-term commitment to the country.
He noted that the relationship between both organisations had remained strong over the years, with British Airways playing a significant role in the development of Nigeria’s aviation and travel trade sectors.
“British Airways is not just an airline in Nigeria; it is an institution that has become part of our aviation history. For over 50 years of NANTA’s existence, BA has been a dependable partner,” Folami said.
“Your new office is proof that you are here for the long haul, and NANTA is proud to be associated with this commitment.”
The NANTA president used the occasion to present one of the flagship initiatives of his administration, the NANTA Training Institute, designed to professionalise travel agency practice, bridge industry knowledge gaps and prepare a new generation of globally competitive travel professionals.
According to him, the institute will equip practitioners with the expertise and professional competencies required to meet international standards, positioning Nigerian travel professionals to become certified Global Travel Ambassadors.
Responding, Otuyalo expressed appreciation to NANTA for the visit and its continued support, describing travel agents as critical to British Airways’ commercial success in Nigeria and the wider West African market.
She reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to supporting the proposed institute, stressing that professional development was essential to improving service delivery and enhancing customer experience across the aviation value chain.
“We at British Airways believe that investment in people is the best investment. The standard of your profession determines the quality of experience our mutual customers get. On behalf of British Airways, I want to assure you of our full professional support for the NANTA Training Institute,” she said.
Otuyalo explained that the airline’s proposed support would cover professional training, product knowledge, global distribution best practices, customer service excellence and exposure to emerging airline technologies.
She added that British Airways would work with NANTA to develop a structured training programme that would enable members to remain abreast of industry developments and compete effectively in the global travel market.
The engagement ended with an inspection tour of the airline’s new country office, during which both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their relationship and pursuing mutually beneficial initiatives.
The NANTA-British Airways partnership, which spans more than five decades, remains one of the enduring relationships between an international airline and a travel trade association in Nigeria.
The proposed training collaboration is expected to provide a fresh platform for knowledge transfer, professional development and improved service standards, as both organisations seek to strengthen the capacity of Nigeria’s travel industry to respond to changing global aviation demands.