Abuja, Nigeria – [Insert Date] – The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare (Dr.) Abisoye Fagade, FIMC, has reaffirmed the institute’s new mandate as a regulatory body for personnel, practitioners and operators operating within Nigeria’s tourism, hospitality, and travel industry value chain.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting with the Federation of Tourism Associations and other relevant stakeholders across the hospitality, travel and tourism sectors in Abuja, Dr Fagade emphasised that with the enactment of the NIHOTOUR Act 2023, signed into law, NIHOTOUR is no longer just a training institute but the foremost regulator of hospitality, tourism, and travel professionals, practitioners and operators in Nigeria.
“NIHOTOUR, as it stands today, is no longer a training institute. We have been empowered to set and enforce standards across the tourism, hospitality and travel industry workforce. The reason for this gathering is to work together as stakeholders to leverage this transformation for the benefit of the entire sector,” he stated.Raising Standards for Nigeria’s Tourism, hospitality and travel Industries.
Under the new NIHOTOUR Act, one of the institute’s primary functions is to register, standardize, and certify personnel across the tourism and hospitality sector to ensure professionalism, quality service delivery, and international best practices.
“We must work together to bring credibility and excellence to our industry. My administration is committed to ensuring that NIHOTOUR’s new role translates into a well-structured, globally competitive tourism workforce,” Dr. Fagade added.To achieve this, NIHOTOUR is seeking increased collaboration with stakeholders and foreign investment in capital development to enhance infrastructure, training facilities, and workforce development programs.
Stakeholder Reactions and Industry Outlook
Speaking at the meeting, the President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Mr. Nkereuwem Onung, commended Dr. Fagade’s visionary leadership and commitment to repositioning NIHOTOUR. He acknowledged the contributions of the former DG, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, in pushing for the enactment of the NIHOTOUR Act and expressed the need for continuous dialogue among stakeholders.
While highlighting concerns about potential overlaps in regulatory functions between NIHOTOUR and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Onung called for collaborative solutions that would foster a more inclusive, private sector-driven approach to tourism development.
“The new NIHOTOUR Act assigns significant responsibilities to the institute. As we move forward, we must engage in extensive stakeholder consultation and strategic lobbying to ensure the law supports the sustainable growth of tourism in Nigeria,” he said.Next Steps: A Call for Collaboration and Investment
With its enhanced mandate, NIHOTOUR is actively working towards creating a structured, data-driven tourism workforce. The agency is calling on local and foreign investors to support the development of world-class tourism, traveling and hospitality training and certification infrastructure in Nigeria.
Dr. Fagade reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that NIHOTOUR fulfills its regulatory role effectively and transparently, with the ultimate goal of elevating Nigeria’s tourism, hospitality and travel sector to international standards.
“This is a defining moment for NIHOTOUR and the entire industry. We invite all stakeholders to work with us in shaping a stronger, more professional tourism, hospitality and travel ecosystem that attracts investment, creates jobs, and positions Nigeria as a premier tourism destination,” he concluded.
