The Chairman

Mr. AHMED OYERANMI OJUOLAPE was born on August 12, 1956 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

He joined the Airline Industry on August 11, 1976 when he started work with Transcap Ltd at Apapa, Lagos, a subsidiary of CFAO NIGERIA PLC where he got the first knowledge of Travel Industry. He has remained in the Industry till date.

He sat for and passed many IATA Examinations which culminated into his appointment as IATA CONSULTANT in 2009. He was an IATA physical Inspector for about five years before the Accreditation of Travel Agencies in Nigeria was changed into virtual.

He completed the forty-four (44) modules of Harvard Leadership and Management Programme organized by Harvard Business School and IATA in April, 2012.

He was admitted as a Member of Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) in December, 1997 and American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) in January,2001.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria. He was bestowed with the Fellowship of the Institute of Tourism Professionals in July, 2013 and Nigerian Institute of Management. He is a member of the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS), Netherlands etc.

He established Empire Travel Services Ltd on May 23, 1989 having worked in various capacities with Transcap Ltd, Apapa, Broad Street, Lagos, Port Harcourt and later Kano in 1983. He also worked with Anopit Travel Agency Ltd from November, 1984 to May, 1989 when he left to establish Empire Travel Services Ltd.

As a member of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), He served in various capacities in the Executive Council as Zonal Financial Secretary, Zonal Vice President, 2nd Deputy National President and Member of Board of Trustees. He was honoured with an award by NANTA in March,2012, honoured by the Trade Leaders’ Club with the 35th Golden Award in Madrid, Spain in January, 2010 and National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) in November, 2012. He was also presented an Award by the NANTA Northern Zone this February, 2014 and many more.

He served in the Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN)between 2006 and 2008. He was recognized as ONE OF THE 100 TOURISM PERSONALITIES in 2014.

He coordinated the IATA courses ( on part-time basis) for the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourismn (Nihotour) since 2004 as Head of the IATA Unit of the Institute having had several contacts with the Institute since 1998 when the IATA programme was introduced . Nihotour was rated as one of the BEST TOP TEN Authorized Training Centre (ATC) in Africa in August,2012 under his Headship having had best students in IATA Foundation,Management and Global Distribution examinations.

He participates in most NIM programmes at local and National levels especially the Annual Management Conferences. As NIM Kano chapter member, he contributes to the MCPEP courses of members.

Empire Travel Services Ltd was approved as an IATA Authorized Training Center (ATC) in 2017 and remains one of the most recognized IATA Training Partners in Nigeria.