Once envisioned as a premier destination for tourism, commerce, and leisure, the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort, located in Adiabo near Calabar in Cross River State, now stands as a symbol of unrealized potential.
Launched in 2005, Tinapa was designed to span 265 hectares and serve as a flagship development to attract both local and international investors. The project received a significant boost in 2006 when the Federal Government granted it Free Trade Zone status under the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Act of 1992. This announcement generated optimism, with stakeholders hopeful that then-Governor Donald Duke’s ambitious vision was becoming a reality.
Officially opened on April 2, 2007, the multi-million-dollar resort boasted impressive infrastructure including a hotel, business center, shopping mall, water park, artificial lake, a casino, and even a film production facility known as “Studio Tinapa.” The development was estimated to have cost over $350 million.
However, despite the fanfare, Tinapa began to encounter major setbacks shortly after its launch. The resort’s legal structure as a Free Trade Zone came into question, as only the Federal Government can legally operate such zones, creating regulatory uncertainty that discouraged investors.
The 2020 EndSARS protests, while not the root cause of Tinapa’s decline, significantly worsened its condition. Amid the unrest, looters raided the facility, destroying property, including the 244-room Lakeside Hotel, vehicles, and heavy equipment. While the protests were a national crisis, observers believe Tinapa’s deteriorated state made it particularly vulnerable to such attacks.
Efforts to clarify the resort’s legal and operational status date back to the administration of Duke’s successor, Senator Liyel Imoke. He advocated for federal involvement and proposed separating the entertainment and leisure facilities from the trading zone to make the resort more manageable. Imoke also attempted to attract private investors who could take over the resort’s operations more efficiently.
Despite these efforts, the resort remained plagued by confusion over its status. Businesses hesitated to operate fully, fearing intervention from customs officials, and many facilities gradually shut down. The shopping mall emptied, the exhibition center and movie studio were underutilized, and the hotel struggled with low patronage. Only the water park saw occasional activity, mostly from children and youths during weekends and holidays.
By 2013, the Nigeria Customs Service argued that Tinapa’s Free Trade Zone lacked proper legal backing and began imposing duties on goods, further discouraging business activity. Mounting debts and legal battles eventually pushed the state government to hand over Tinapa to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), with hopes of a revival.
According to local entrepreneur Llyord Ndoma, the state owed more than ₦18 billion in bank loans tied to the resort. AMCON was expected to inject ₦29 billion to rehabilitate the resort and prepare it for a private sector takeover, having received 85% ownership of Tinapa’s shares.
However, progress stalled under Governor Ben Ayade, with little action taken to revitalize the facility. The EndSARS protests added further damage to an already troubled project. The then Commissioner for Finance, Mike Odere, estimated the destruction caused by the protest at ₦100 billion.
Following a change in leadership, new hope emerged. Governor Bassey Otu, who succeeded Ayade, pledged to revive the resort and announced in February 2025 that the state had regained control of Tinapa after reaching a financial agreement with AMCON. Though he didn’t disclose the amount paid, Otu emphasized his commitment to restoring the facility, stating that the original investment was too substantial to be abandoned.
“We cannot afford to let such an investment go to waste. However, we did not consider taking a loan to revive it, as no financial institution would fund a new project when there’s already an existing but underutilized one,” he explained.
Yet, six months after this declaration, no visible progress has been reported. When contacted, the resort’s Managing Director, Dr. Francis Ekom, declined to provide specifics but assured that developments were underway. “We have come a long way, and the governor will soon reveal the next steps,” he said.
According to stakeholders, successfully reviving Tinapa will require strong political resolve, effective management, and the ability to attract credible investors. Without these, the resort may continue to languish as a missed opportunity in Nigeria’s tourism and economic landscape.