Travel/Tourism
Using Palm Wine Exportation To Attract Foreign Tourists
By Olukayode Kolawole
I arrived in the forest. I met the forest lord
He offers me bush meat
I am not here to hunt for bush meat
I journey deep down the ocean
I met the queen of the coast
She offers me fish to eat
I am not here to fish either
On my way back home
I met the palm wine tapper
He gave me some wine to drink
Sozzled and blotto I got home
And then I forget my sorrow
– David Adeyemo –
Nigeria is a country blessed with so many natural and agricultural resources. We are so much blessed that we seem to have these resources in excess as compared to almost all the countries in the African continent. Whether we’re using these resources to our advantage or not is a different ball game entirely. I recently stumbled on United Nation World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) website to check out some of the programmes it has lined up for the last quarter of the year. In the coming months, the apex tourism body will be organizing a wine tourism conference in collaboration with the Georgian National Tourism Administration. The press release on its website stated: “Georgia’s unique winemaking traditions date back 8,000 years and are considered by UNESCO as intangible heritage, making the country an ideal host for the Global Conference on Wine Tourism. The country’s recent success in attracting a growing number of tourists and its development of tourism products, branding and marketing, combine to present an excellent platform for sharing best practices, experience and knowledge.” Wine tourism, did you say?
What wine is better than our locally tapped palm wine? If you have ever been served palm wine in any part of Nigeria especially the west and the east regions, you would be able to testify that nothing beats the taste of our freshly tapped unadulterated palm wine. On the other hand, what beats my imagination is the fact that we’re not doing anything grand with this quintessential alcoholic beverage beyond just consuming it locally and may be a few exportations. We can still do so much more. And surprisingly, there is a huge market for this natural product abroad. The revenue generated every year locally is nothing compared to what we can earn as a country if we intensify exportation of this product. The product has the potential of generating millions of dollars every year if done properly and supported with the necessary marketing efforts.
Palm wine has many names it is known by depending on the region. For instance, in Nigeria it is called emu, oguro, nkwu enu, nkwu ocha, palmy, or tombo liquor. Palm wine is indeed indispensable in many ceremonies in some parts of Nigeria especially among the Ibo people. Guests at weddings, birthday celebrations and funeral wakes are usually served charitably. For instance, a young man who is going for his first introduction at his in-laws place is required to go with palm wine. Depending on the customs of various towns, there are specific gallons of palm wine required for such an event.
Sometimes, it can also be used as a healing agent. It is often mixed with medicinal herbs to cure a wide variety of physical illnesses. Many drinking sessions will often begin with a small amount of palm wine spilled on the ground as a token of respect to deceased ancestors. Women as well as men enjoy drinking palm wine. Although the former consumes it less often in public.
Palm wine tapping is both an art and a science. Ask our Ibo brothers in the East and the Yoruba farmers in the West. It takes certain specialized skills that are learnt over a course of time to be able to master the art and perfect it. It commands more respect than any other alcoholic beverage among the rural and urban dwellers in Nigeria. There are also other alcoholic beverages that are derivatives from fermented palm wine while some others such as Ogogoro (dry gin), Burukutu are locally brewed drinks made from guinea corn or wheat. There are different types of palm wine but the type that’s sourced from either Raffia palm or palm oil tree are the original palm wine. Although, they are a bit more expensive and considered the king of all local wines.
Here are a number of fun facts about palm wine in Nigeria: (1) Palm wine is usually the official drink for all traditional marriages. In fact, it’s in most times included in the bride price list (a list of items to be procured by the groom to-be before a woman is given out in marriage by her family). (2) Getting unadulterated palm wine is indeed very difficult; most are mixed with other drinks by greedy sellers to maximize profit. (3) In the rural areas, palm wine often accompanies (and usually the best drink) pepper soup, Ugba, Nkwobi and Isi Ewu (goat head).
Having looked at the great potentials palm wine wields and the inherent implication on our culture as a country, it is a course of wisdom to create festivals or conferences that will bring tourists from other countries to come into our country, considering the fact that we’re at a point where growing our hospitality and tourism industry is especially important. Organizing an annual Palm Wine Festival, or something of that sort will boost the inflow of tourists into our country which will directly contribute to the economy. For instance, more jobs will be created, more hotels, including those on Jumia Travel platform will experience increase in patronage, airlines will make more sales and several other attendant benefits. A typical festival will need about three to six months to plan and will gulp between N4m – N10m. But the ROI will likely triple the expenditure and once this becomes a yearly event, an additional source of income will definitely emerge.
Beyond hosting a palm wine festival or conference or whatever nomenclature we eventually come up with, I think it’s also important for public private partnership to promote, on a large scale, the exportation of unadulterated palm wine to neighbouring countries and major European countries. We stand to benefit immensely from its export. We only need to get the packaging right and voila, the orders will start coming in. However, before we start intensifying commercialization of this product, local promoters should make conscious effort to get as many Nigerians as possible to start making demands. Thankfully, ecommerce has changed the way everything is done. It’s not improbable for a seller to open a platform on any of the online marketplaces and support it with appropriate publicity. We will go beyond local consumption to selling to other continents. But first, we need to grow local demands for the product.
The journey to building our country to Africa’s number one tourist destination is filled with many road bumps. But every step we take should always be in the right direction. Else, things might just fall apart.
Olukayode Kolawole is the Head of PR and Marketing at Jumia Travel NG.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Passengers flying first class on Emirates across all routes departing Dubai will be served the Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2009 Champagne over the next few months.
This has been made possible through an exclusive partnership between Emirates and Moët Hennessy. It is the only airline to access this special vintage directly from the winery.
Dom Pérignon Rosé 2009 is the result of a particularly generous growing season, enabling the estate to produce a wine of profound ripeness, textural richness, and controlled power.
It is sourced from Grand Cru vineyards such as Aÿ and Bouzy, with a significant portion of still Pinot Noir added during blending.
The drink contains a higher proportion of Pinot Noir, including a still red wine made from the same grapes lending it a delicate colour and additional structure.
After 12 years of maturation in the cellar, the result speaks to depth and aromatic layering, whilst preserving the wine’s luminous tension.
The 2009 reveals an expressive bouquet of rose petals, orange oil and saffron, followed by vivid notes of raspberry, cherry, cassis, and fig, and evolving toward deeper tones of licorice and gingerbread. The palate is smooth and enveloping, with ripe, fleshy fruit and a supple structure, finishing with a persistent sapidity and a memorable tactile imprint.
The offering is part of the airline’s champagne programme, ensuring its customers always ‘fly better.’
This initiative has made Emirates to purchase more champagne than any other airline in the world and has exclusive rights to serve Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015, Dom Pérignon Vintage Rosé 2009, Dom Pérignon Plénitude 2 2006, Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial, Moët & Chandon Imperial Rosé, Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Blanc 2016, Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Veuve Clicquot Vintage Blanc 2015.
Emirates also serves Australian sparkling wine, Chandon Vintage Brut 2019 onboard as a global exclusive to customers in Premium Economy.
For the last 16 years, it has invested more than $1 billion into its wine program, buying exceptional wines at the earliest opportunity to let them mature, allowing them to express their full potential before serving them on board.
The Emirates Wine Cellar in France currently houses 6.5 million bottles of fine wines, some of which will not be ready for tasting until 2035. Emirates offers 37 different varieties of French wines and champagnes on board its aircraft. Business Class Bordeaux red wines remain in Emirates’ cellar for an average of 8-10 years, while those reserved for First Class are only served an average of 12-15 years after purchase.
Emirates also has a vintage collection which includes Château Margaux 2004, Château Cos d’Estournel 2005 and Château Montrose 2005.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Idris Aregbe, has sought the participation of a Chinese delegation for the 72 Hours Lagos Weekend Experience taking place from November 14–16, 2025.
The Governor’s aide invited China to the event when he hosted a high-level Chinese delegation led by the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Guangxi People’s Congress, Mr Zhang Xiaoqin; and the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Ms Yan Yuqing, on Monday.
The Chinese team were around to deepen international relations and foster stronger cultural and economic ties with the metropolis.
Mr Aregbe acknowledged the large population bases of Lagos and China as critical assets for advancing tourism development, cultural integration, and unlocking opportunities for mutual economic growth, sharing the Lagos Cultural Mission Initiative with the visitors.
“We want China’s partnership with Lagos State in cultural exchange and training programmes that will benefit both young and old, ensuring mutual growth and enduring relationships,” Mr Aregbe stated.
Meanwhile, the Chinese delegation expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation through simplified visa processes, student and professional exchange programmes, and joint cultural initiatives.
Commending Lagos for its progress in cultural tourism, Mr Zhang described the city as a “powerhouse of human labour, economy, and creativity,” identifying heritage protection, research, and educational exchanges as key areas for collaboration while emphasising the robust trade foundation between Guangxi Province and Nigeria.
On her part, Ms Yuqing reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening ties with Lagos and Nigeria, endorsing the vision for future cultural events, also extending an invitation to the Lagos team to visit Guangxi as part of efforts to cement bilateral cooperation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has announced the withdrawal of a criminal complaint against Ms Comfort Emmanson, an Ibom Air passenger arrested over alleged unruly behaviour, as well as the reduction of a flight ban on Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate or KWAM 1, to one month.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday morning.
He disclosed that this happened following consultations with key stakeholders in the aviation sector over recent incidents involving disruptive conduct at Nigerian airports.
According to the Minister, Ms Emmanson, who was arrested on August 10, 2025, after a confrontation aboard an Ibom Air flight, showed “great remorse” during a police interview in the presence of her lawyer.
As a result, Ibom Air has agreed to withdraw its complaint, with the Police expected to complete steps for her release from Kirikiri Prisons within the week.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has also agreed to lift the lifetime flight ban earlier imposed on her.
On the case of K1 and ValueJet, the Minister said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will cut the singer’s flight ban to one month, while also withdrawing its criminal complaint.
The singer will be engaged as an ambassador for airport security protocol.
Additionally, ValueJet’s Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba will have their licenses restored after serving a one-month suspension and undergoing mandatory professional re-appraisal.
Mr Keyamo stressed that the decisions were taken on “compassionate grounds” following appeals from well-meaning Nigerians and expressions of remorse by the parties involved.
He, however, warned that the government would not tolerate further breaches of aviation laws.
The Minister also directed relevant agencies to hold a retreat next week to retrain aviation security personnel on handling disruptive passengers and de-escalating tense situations, while airlines will separately review staff conduct towards travellers.
“We take safety and security in the aviation sector very seriously and have decided to draw a line after these clemencies,” Mr Keyamo said.
“These above decisions were taken by Government and the airline operators purely on COMPASSIONATE grounds as Government will never pander to base sentiments, politically-motivated views or warped legal opinions when clear encroachment of our laws are involved.
“We are also sending a CLEAR MESSAGE that we take safety and security in the aviation sector very seriously and we have decided to draw a line after these clemencies,” he concluded.
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