frontline transporter and managing director of ABC Transport Plc, Mr. Frank Nneji, has won a high placing at the Top 100 Tourism Personalities in West Africa Awards and Recognition held in Accra, Ghana, recently.

Nneji’s award, which was presented to him at ABC Transport’s corporate headquarters in Lagos, was in recognition of his trail-blazing initiatives that have transformed passenger land transportation across West Africa. 

Foremost tourism journalist in Nigeria and publisher of ATQNews.com, Mr. Ikechi Uko, who organised the awards, explained that the judges took into consideration the company’s pioneering efforts in linking several countries conveniently through the venture.

The most successful transport company in West Africa, ABC Transport has been at the fore-front of conveying people and goods across the west coast of Africa for over a decade, “and in the process, has transformed tourism in the region since it launched its fully air-conditioned coaches on the West African routes in 2004.”

Several other leading travel promoters in Nigeria and Ghana also emerged winners of the award, among whom are the managing director/chief executive officer of Tour Brokers International, Mrs. Uloma Egbuna, and the general manager of The Wheatbaker Lagos, Mr. Simon Grindrod.

Receiving the plaque in his office, Nneji recalled that: “As at that time in 2004 when we went into moving people and cargo from Nigeria through West Africa and back, there was only one flight from Bellview Airline that was airlifting people at the time.”

Related News

He disclosed that ABC Transport would be introducing new buses on the West African route to ensure utmost comfort for its passengers.

“We are introducing new buses, the SprinterPlus, with bigger leg-room, on the West African route. The 14-seater bus is specifically introduced for business and corporate travellers who need to get to their destinations quick as they would be travelling with very light luggage. A lot of hours are lost on the road while travelling with the coaches due to the large amount of cargo the buses carry, because Immigration and Customs spend so much time going through the cargo at the borders.

“But the new SprinterPlus introduction would save time. The buses are bigger than the usual Sprinter and would afford passengers more leg room and are fully air-conditioned with enhanced comfort facility onboard,” the ABC Transport CEO remarked.

Other practitioners in Nigeria who made the Top 100 Tourism Personalities are the group general manager, Sun Heaven Hotels and Resorts, Dr. Michael Pinder, and Mr. Lehlohonolo Hloni Pitso, regional manager, West Africa, for South African Tourism’s regional office based in Lagos.

Awardees from the Ghanaian tourism industry included the group general manager of Oak Plaza Hotel, Ms. Hazel Gumpo; general manager, La Villa Boutique Hotel, Leeford Quarshie; CEO of Trafix Catering Limited, Mrs. Bella Ahu; and the executive chairman of McDan Group of Companies, Dr. Daniel McKorley.

Still from Ghana, the general manager, Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund, Mr. Nicolas Jørgensen Gebara, and chief executive officer of Staple Travel and Tours, Mrs. Nancy Sam Quartey, also made the Top 100 Tourism Personalities, which “was set up to recognise individuals who have distinguished themselves and through their efforts or that of their organisations have impacted positively on the travel and tourism sector across the West African sub region.”