Drivers of Religious Tourism in Nigeria: Spiritual and Secular Reasons

Religious tourism in Nigeria, particularly at sites like the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove and Olokun Temple, is primarily driven by secular motivations such as knowledge acquisition and cultural inquiry rather than spiritual devotion. Unlike global religious pilgrimage destinations such as Jerusalem or Mecca, where spirituality is a dominant factor, Nigerian tourists—predominantly adherents of Islam or Christianity—often view active participation in local rituals as unnecessary. This study, conducted through key informant interviews at these sites, reveals that mundane reasons overshadow spiritual ones, offering a distinct contrast to traditional religious tourism patterns.

Olawuyi, O. S., Raheem, O. W., & Oni, A. S. (2026). Drivers of Religious Tourism in Nigeria: Spiritual and Secular Reasons. Technological University Dublin. https://doi.org/10.21427/A3KS-EF56