Ahead Rio 2016 Olympics:NOC unveils Wakanow as Nigeria’s sole authorised ticket reseller

The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has unveiled tour and hospitality services provider, Wakanow, as the country’s sole authorised ticket provider for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games scheduled for August. The right empowers Wakanow to sell tickets and also arrange easy passage for Nigerians, who wish to witness the Olympic Games from August 5 to 21.

At the unveiling held in the NOC boardroom in Lagos yesterday, the Committee’s president, Habu Gumel, described the partnership with Wakanow as part of its programmes to ensure that Nigerians get seamless access to the tickets and other logistics connected with the games.

He said the Committee’s decision to re-appoint Wakanow as authorized ticket provider for Rio 2016 after their first pact for the London 2012 Olympics was based on the company’s track records and competence in the travels and hospitality industry.

Also speaking at the event, NOC Secretary General, Tunde Popoola, said the pact with Wakanow would enhance Nigeria’s participation at the 2016 Olympics because the company has the resources to move our fans to all the venues to support Team Nigeria.

“We had the same partnership in 2012 and we are happy that we have a partner that believes that the NOC should be bigger and better than it is. We need to thank the company for contributing to the rebranding of the NOC. The IOC is aware of our partnership with Wakanow,” he said.

Expressing his company’s delight with its re-appointment as NOC’s authorised ticket provider, Wakanow’s Managing Director, Obinna Ekezie, said his firm has acquired the experience to do better than it did at the London 2012 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup, which incidentally was held in Brazil.

He said: “We are keen in this partnership because we have very hardworking and knowledgeable people manning the NOC.

“We have over 30 outlets across the country where people can go to access the tickets and key into our packages for the Olympics. We are working closely with the airlines to take care of the difficulty with connectivity in Brazil.

“We are also looking at ways to provide affordable fares and other logistics for Nigerians going to Brazil, but we advise interested parties to book their package on time so that we can start processing their documents.”

Ekezie revealed that Wakanow has created a platform that would afford those who want to pay in installment to do so, adding, however, that there are terms and conditions for booking a trip to the Games through his company.

“We assure everybody that books his/her ticket on time that they will have an easy passage to the Games. We have set a date before which our customers are expected to make commitments towards their trip to allow us secure visas, accommodation and flights for them. We already have our support staff who will be going to Brazil in a few weeks to start preparing for our clients arrival for the Games,” he added.

ABOUT WAKANOW

Wakanow.com is one of the fastest growing online businesses in Nigeria and in the eight years of its existence, has become Africa’s no 1 travel booking portal. With physical presence in Nigeria, Dubai, Ghana and the UK and with a wide range of products that include Vacation packages, Hotel/flight booking, Specialized Travel packages, Visa procurements, a Wakanow international pre-prepaid card, a loyalty solution and a Wakanow international Travel SIM card, Wakanow.com has become a force to be reckoned with in the business landscape in Nigeria. Wakanow currently has over 25 travel centers in Nigeria and plans to increase to 100 within the next couple of years.

With the acquisition of Oya.com, a local transport ticketing online agency and the commencement of specialized services to corporate and high-end clients, Wakanow has once again raised the bar in tapping into the wealth of opportunities that exist in the travel business in Nigeria and in enhancing the profile of the industry in general.

With an eye on a speedy global expansion, Wakanow plans to open more offices around the world including in Kenya and the US.