Nigeria’s travel industry faces a significant structural gap that leaves citizens vulnerable to fraud, visa denials, and financial losses, according to Elisha Olorunda, CEO of RE360 Agent Development Limited. The absence of a professional travel‑consulting ecosystem has weakened the country’s global competitiveness and damaged its international credibility.
The sector remains largely informal, with minimal regulatory oversight, allowing untrained and uncertified individuals to operate as travel agents. This environment has produced widespread misinformation, compromised documentation, and lost opportunities for Nigerians seeking education, medical care, business expansion, or tourism abroad. The repercussions extend beyond individual losses, harming Nigeria’s reputation on the world stage.
Professional travel consulting involves more than ticketing and visa assistance; it includes regulatory compliance, proper documentation advisory, ethical guidance, and client education. When Nigerians receive proper guidance, they succeed abroad and reflect positively on the nation, turning travel consulting into a tool for national development.
RE360 Agent Development Limited focuses on training and certifying travel agents, emphasizing ethics, international best practices, and consumer protection. The initiative aims to reduce fraud, improve visa success rates, and reposition travel consultants as educators and facilitators of global opportunities. Olorunda stresses the need for strategic partnerships between government agencies and professional travel‑consulting bodies to enhance youth employment, promote mobility education, and contribute to informed policy formulation.
With nearly a decade of experience advising over 1,000 Nigerians on international travel, RE360 is positioned to serve as a catalyst for professionalizing the sector and expanding global access. To address industry challenges, Olorunda urges Nigerians to become informed consumers by seeking licensed and trained consultants, demanding transparency, and recognizing that integrity is the foundation of sustainable international travel success.
The future of Nigerian travel must be built on structure, credibility, and vision. By promoting professional travel consulting and fostering strategic engagement between government and credible consultants, Nigeria can curb fraud, improve outcomes, and strengthen its international standing.
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