National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has met with the leadership and members of the Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA) at its headquarters in Abuja to discuss industry regulation and collaboration.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, had the HOFA delegation led by its president, Emeka Ezekwesili, while the director general of NIHOTOUR, Abisoye Fagade, received the team alongside senior management of the institute.
At the session, NIHOTOUR explained the provisions of the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act 2022 and the 2025 Regulations.
Mr Fagade stated that NIHOTOUR’s role is to train, certify and regulate hospitality and tourism professionals in Nigeria, not to register hotels or physical establishments.
“Our responsibility is to professionalize the sector by ensuring that those who run hotels, manage guest relations, cook in kitchens, or serve as tour operators are adequately trained, certified, and globally competitive,” he said.
“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.”
The discussions also covered areas where NIHOTOUR can support HOFA members, including capacity building, staff certification and professional development.
Both parties agreed to form a Joint Implementation Committee to drive resolutions from the meeting and monitor follow-up actions.
