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NIHOTOUR has inaugurated a three-month committee to tackle the lingering dispute over the recognition, regulation and governance of professional bodies in Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality sector.
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FTAN has rejected the committee’s process, calling for a review of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 and NTDA Act 2023 to resolve what it describes as overlapping regulatory responsibilities.
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The committee’s chairman, Prof. Wasiu A. Babalola, has proposed a hybrid framework under which NIHOTOUR would set national benchmarks while accredited professional bodies oversee ethics, continuing professional development and peer certification.
August 28, (THEWILL) — The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has set up a committee to address the lingering dispute over the recognition, regulation and governance of professional bodies in Nigeria’s hospitality, tourism and travel sectors.
The National Committee on Industry Professional Bodies Recognition and Governance (NCIPBRG), chaired by Professor Wasiu A. Babalola, was inaugurated in Abuja by NIHOTOUR Director-General, Aare Abisoye Fagade.
The committee has three months to submit its recommendations.
Its mandate includes developing criteria for recognising professional bodies, recommending governance and accountability standards, proposing ethical guidelines and identifying areas of overlap among industry associations.
Fagade said the initiative was to bring greater clarity and structure to professional organisations in the sector.
He maintained that the exercise falls within NIHOTOUR’s mandate under the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act, 2022, adding that professional training, registration and common industry standards were necessary to build a stronger tourism workforce.
But the move comes against the backdrop of continuing disagreement between NIHOTOUR and sections of the private sector over the institute’s regulatory powers.
The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), led by its President, Dr Aliyu Ajayi Badaki, has questioned NIHOTOUR’s role as both a training institution and regulator.
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The federation has called for a review of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 and the National Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) Act 2023, arguing that overlapping responsibilities under the two laws have created uncertainty in the sector.
FTAN has also declined to participate in the committee’s process, insisting that the scope of NIHOTOUR’s regulatory authority should first be addressed through legislative review.
The federation, however, has maintained that it supports efforts to improve professional standards within the tourism industry.
The disagreement has also raised concerns among some operators over registration and enforcement activities, with calls for greater clarity on the respective roles of government agencies and professional associations.
NIHOTOUR, meanwhile, insists that it is required to implement the provisions of its 2022 Establishment Act and regards professional registration and capacity building as part of its statutory responsibilities.
In an attempt to bridge the positions, Babalola has proposed a hybrid governance model.
Under the proposed arrangement, NIHOTOUR would establish national professional benchmarks, while accredited professional bodies would handle areas such as ethics, continuing professional development and peer certification.
The regulatory dispute has attracted ministerial attention, with the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, previously acknowledging concerns over overlapping tourism laws.
Musawa had said such issues could be referred to the National Assembly, where they create bottlenecks for businesses, while stressing the need to maintain regulatory order pending any legislative changes.
The committee is expected to consult practitioners, operators, regulators, investors, academics and industry associations before submitting its report.
Its recommendations could determine whether the sector moves towards clearer lines of responsibility between NIHOTOUR, other government agencies and professional bodies, or whether the dispute eventually requires legislative intervention.
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
