NIHOTOUR, HOFA in dialogue: Balancing professional standards with industry realities

By Jimoh Babatunde

The hospitality industry in Nigeria sits at a delicate crossroads. On one hand, government institutions are pushing for higher professional standards to make the sector globally competitive.

On the other, operators are grappling with harsh economic realities that threaten business survival.

This tension came to the fore on Tuesday in Abuja when the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) met with the leadership of the Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA).

The meeting, held at NIHOTOUR headquarters, brought together senior management of the Institute led by Director-General Aare Dr. Abisoye Fagade and HOFA executives led by President Mr. Emeka Ezekwesili.
At stake was a clearer understanding of NIHOTOUR’s regulatory role under its 2022 Establishment Act and the 2025 Regulations—and how these will affect operators on the ground.

Clarifying Mandates

Dr. Fagade took pains to explain that NIHOTOUR’s mandate does not extend to registering hotel buildings or physical establishments, a responsibility that lies with other government agencies.
Instead, the Institute is tasked with training, certifying, and regulating the human capital—the chefs, front-desk managers, tour operators, and hospitality professionals—who ultimately determine service quality and customer experience.

“This is about people, not just places. Hotels do not run themselves—people do. And it is these people we are committed to upskilling, accrediting, and empowering in line with the law,” Fagade said.

By positioning itself as the custodian of professionalism in the sector, NIHOTOUR aims to ensure that Nigerian hospitality workers meet global standards.

But for many operators, the challenge lies not in the vision, but in the cost of achieving it.

Industry Pushback

HOFA President, Mr. Ezekwesili, was clear in his appeal: NIHOTOUR must avoid becoming another agency adding to the industry’s financial burden. With rising operational costs, multiple taxation, and dwindling patronage, many hotels are already struggling to stay afloat.

“Professionalizing the sector is best achieved through affordable training and continuous skill development, not heavy levies or registration fees,” he argued, aligning with the long-standing position of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN).

The strongest criticism came from HOFA’s solicitor, Barr. B.V. Inedia, who described recent demand notices for N1.3 million in personnel registration fees as an “undue burden” imposed without proper industry consultation.

For him and many other hoteliers, such measures threaten not just profitability but also employment within the sector.

A Sector in Transition

The Abuja meeting highlights a broader struggle within Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism ecosystem: the push to raise standards while maintaining a business-friendly environment.

For NIHOTOUR, the professionalization of the workforce is non-negotiable if Nigeria is to compete with destinations like South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt, which boast structured training and certification systems.
For operators, however, survival in the current economic climate is the priority.

Many fear that without careful implementation, the NIHOTOUR Act could displace workers, undermine existing qualifications, and make hotels less competitive.

The Way Forward

Despite these differences, the session ended on a conciliatory note, with both parties agreeing to set up a Joint Implementation Committee to drive resolutions and maintain open channels of communication.

Whether this collaboration leads to a shared vision remains to be seen.

What is clear, however, is that the future of Nigeria’s hospitality industry will depend on striking the right balance—between regulation and flexibility, professional standards and economic realities.

The NIHOTOUR–HOFA dialogue is only the beginning of what promises to be a long conversation about how best to build a globally competitive hospitality workforce without crippling the businesses that employ them.

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