Olympics: Wakanow Gets NOC Nod To sell Ticket

Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) yesterday announced tour and hospitality services provider, Wakanow, as the country’s sole authorised ticket provider for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games scheduled for August in Brazil.

The right empowered 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 reappoint 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 reappointment 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”, he added.

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 cannot take more people than we can handle, but we assure everybody that books his ticket on time that he will have an easy passage to the games. You cannot come a week before the games to ask us to include you in our programme.

“We have set dates when people must have paid their money to allow us secure visas, accommodation and book flights for them. Already, we 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.