They Just Can’t Stay Away: Nigerians Cement Number 2 Spot in Tourist Arrivals in Ghana in 2024

If Ghana ever decides to crown its most loyal visitors, our dear friends from Nigeria will be keen competitors for the gold crown.

Once again, Nigeria has retained its spot among the top three countries whose citizens just can’t resist the Ghana jollof, the Year of Return buzz, our tourist sites, or maybe just the Ghanaian vibes.

According to the 2024 Ghana Tourism Report, 111,581 Nigerian tourists crossed over to see Ghana, representing a whopping 25% increase from 2023’s 82,642 arrivals. That’s not a slight uptick; that’s a come-in-your-numbers kind of movement.

At this rate, we might need to start offering them, at least, a loyalty card.

The Historical Figures

Let’s rewind a bit. Back in 2019, 102,339 Nigerians visited Ghana. Then COVID came knocking in 2020, slashing arrivals to just over 33,000. But as soon as borders opened and travel restrictions eased, they started crawling back, and by 2022, they were 72,786 strong.

Fast forward to 2024, and they’ve hit an all-time high. This signifies Ghana is Nigeria’s favourite neighbour. They may beat us in some aspects, but we still remain their favorite tourist destination in West Africa.

With these figures, Omo Naija claimed the second spot in 2024 as the country with the second-highest number of tourist arrivals in Ghana.

The Americans Are Coming — But More than Nigerians Though

In 2024, our big brothers from the United States showed impressive love, with 137,862 visitors beating both Nigeria and the UK. But to be fair, most of them only come in December.

And as for the UK crowd, they’re consistently third on the list, showing up in solid numbers. From 20,538 in 2020 to 52,845 in 2024, they’ve done their bit to boost the “visa-on-arrival” queue.

What Does This Mean?

The data shows a remarkable recovery and steady growth in visitor numbers from all three countries, especially post-pandemic. For Nigeria, the 25% jump in one year is a strong indicator of rising middle-class mobility, cultural affinity, and perhaps Ghana’s growing reputation as a go-to destination in West Africa.

All these arrivals were not just a fluke, as they amounted to about $4.82 billion in revenues for the country, representing a 27% increase over 2023 revenues.

It also reflects successful marketing strategies like Beyond the Return, improved airport experience, and Ghana’s soft power appeal through arts, music, and other fascinating scenery.

So What Next?

At this rate, the authorities in Ghana may need to rename Ghana the “Home of Nigerians on Vacation.” And maybe, just maybe, Ghanaian vendors should consider pricing their services in naira, purely out of customer loyalty, of course.

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