Fubara, Falade, Others For Bonny ‘Orange Economy’ Summit

Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and the managing director of NLNG Limited, Engr. Adeleye Falade are among the prominent personalities expected at Bonny Island Tourism and Investment Summit, which begins today.

Also expected at the event, holding at the NLNG Conference Centre in Bonny, Rivers State, are the  managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku and the traditional ruler of Grand Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III.

Christined “Orange Economy” summit, the event, which is being organised by the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BCCIMA), has the theme, “Bonny Island: Transforming into a Premier Global Destination.”

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt ahead of the summit, BCCIMA president, Dr Constance Nwokejiobi, said the “Discover Bonny’ Initiative” is designed as a three-year strategic programme to transform the island into a globally competitive tourism destination.

Nwokejiobi stated that Bonny already plays a significant role in Nigeria’s economy through its oil and gas activities, with major economic pillars including NLNG and Renaissance Africa Energy, formerly SPDC.

She said the objective now is to create a second, sustainable economic pillar centred on tourism, heritage, hospitality, and the creative economy.

“Discover Bonny is not a slogan; it is a framework,” Nwokejiobi said, describing the initiative as a tourism concierge platform and partnership framework encompassing platinum, gold, silver, bronze, community tourism and international partnership tiers,” BCCIMA President said.

Nwokejiobi stated that a central feature of the initiative would be a dedicated, private-sector-driven tourism centre, arguing that sustainable tourism development cannot depend solely on government.

“A private-sector-anchored Tourism Centre ensures Bonny’s tourism economy is entrepreneurial, investable, and built to outlast any single administration or partnership cycle,” she said.

Nwokejiobi also positioned the initiative within Nigeria’s wider economic diversification agenda, describing tourism as part of the country’s “Orange Economy”—a creative and service-driven growth engine with the potential to complement the traditional oil and gas economy.

She said the summit would showcase Bonny’s ecotourism, industrial, cultural and heritage assets to potential investors and development partners.

“We are not only opening our Kingdom to visitors, but we are also opening a new front for Nigeria’s economic diversification,” she said.