The Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Dr Abisoye Fagade, has reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to implementing the NIHOTOUR Act, stating that the reforms are aimed at professionalising Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality sector rather than targeting operators.
Fagade made this known during an interactive session with members of the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism in Lagos, where he said the institute’s reforms were focused on building a structured and globally competitive industry through professional standards, continuous training and effective regulation.
He identified the creation of Nigeria’s first national register of tourism and hospitality professionals as one of NIHOTOUR’s major achievements since the Act became operational, describing it as a significant step towards sanitising the sector.
“Tourism now has a register. Whether we have 76 people on it, or 25 people on it, we have a register. And every other person that is not on that list of register is a quack,” Fagade said.
According to him, the register fulfils a statutory responsibility assigned to NIHOTOUR by law and provides a system for recognising qualified professionals while improving public confidence in the industry.
The NIHOTOUR boss also disclosed that the institute had introduced nationally recognised professional grades and honours aimed at improving the status and recognition of practitioners within the hospitality and tourism sector.
He said the institute had expanded its training programmes significantly, increasing participation from about 1,000 trainees annually to approximately 3,000 people across Nigeria within the last two years.
Fagade added that NIHOTOUR had expanded its reach from about nine states to 30 states, while harmonising its training programmes and developing plans towards establishing a tourism academy.
“Our training is going hyper-smooth. We’re able to harmonise all our training, create a new structure, and we are towards the end of creating a tourism academy,” he said.
Rather than establish government-owned training institutions nationwide, Fagade explained that NIHOTOUR would accredit private training centres that meet approved standards to deliver recognised hospitality and tourism programmes.
He said the institute would focus on regulation, certification and quality assurance, while ensuring continuous professional development becomes a key requirement within the industry.
The NIHOTOUR Director-General further stated that the institute was strengthening regulation in areas covered by the Act, including dispute resolution, employee protection, expatriate appointments and the gradual introduction of standards for hotel management and operations.
He noted that future regulations would promote professionalism in senior hospitality roles while creating more opportunities for qualified Nigerians to occupy leadership positions.
Addressing concerns from some industry stakeholders over the implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act, Fagade said the institute remained open to discussions and constructive engagement.
“I’m always willing to engage. I’m always willing to have a conversation. I’m a good listener. And all I just need from you is a superior argument. And I’ll go with you,” he said.
He disclosed that NIHOTOUR recently inaugurated a committee to develop a national framework for recognising, coordinating and governing professional bodies within the tourism, hospitality and travel sectors.
Fagade explained that the committee’s role was advisory and aimed at gathering industry input before making recommendations.
He added that stakeholders seeking amendments to the NIHOTOUR Act were free to pursue such changes through the legislative process, but stressed that the institute must continue implementing the existing law until amendments are officially made.
The NIHOTOUR chief said his vision was to build a tourism industry based on professionalism, quality service, environmental sustainability and international standards.
He urged tourism practitioners, investors, professional associations and other stakeholders to collaborate with the institute, saying stronger institutions and skilled professionals would help position Nigeria as a more competitive tourism destination.
