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NIHOTOUR and FTAN agree to resolve pending litigation over the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 through dialogue and due process.
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Both bodies will establish a joint committee to review concerns around the Act and recommend a way forward.
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The agreement seeks to ease tensions and strengthen collaboration on professionalism, skills development and tourism investment.
September 11, (THEWILL) – The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) have agreed to resolve outstanding issues surrounding the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 through dialogue and due process, in a move to ease tensions between the two bodies.
The agreement followed a strategic meeting between the leadership of both organisations in Abuja on Wednesday, where they reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration and the professionalisation of Nigeria’s tourism, hospitality and travel sectors.
In a joint statement signed by NIHOTOUR Director-General, Dr Abisoye Fagade, and FTAN President, Dr Aliyu Badaki, the organisations agreed that pending litigations relating to the implementation of the Act would be addressed amicably through dialogue.
They also agreed to establish a joint committee comprising representatives of NIHOTOUR and FTAN to examine issues surrounding the 2022 Act, clarify areas of concern and develop practical recommendations and an agreed pathway forward.
The committee will provide a structured platform for continued consultation between the institute and the organised private sector.
Both organisations also committed to strengthening professional standards, supporting skills development and employment opportunities, and creating a more predictable environment for tourism investment.
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NIHOTOUR reaffirmed its mandate to promote professionalism, competence and accountability in the sector, while recognising FTAN’s role as the umbrella body representing organised private-sector interests in tourism.
FTAN, in turn, pledged continued constructive engagement with NIHOTOUR in advancing the interests of tourism businesses, professionals and practitioners across Nigeria.
The organisations said their collaboration was necessary to unlock tourism’s potential to create jobs, attract investment, support skills development, preserve culture and contribute to economic diversification.
They described the meeting as a step towards a new era of partnership, stressing that the success of Nigeria’s tourism industry should take precedence over institutional differences.
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
