Speaking at the stakeholders meeting, Musawa stated that if it becomes necessary, the Ministry affect the review and harmonization of both Acts, will not hesitate to take the Acts back to the National Assembly for amendments.

The Minister stated further that a wider stakeholder forum will be convened to present a final position on the two Acts.

A number of the stakeholders at the meeting made their summations on the two Acts, with a majority of them harping on the obvious defects and conflicting provisions, with a charge for the two Acts to be urgently reviewed and amended for the benefits of all concerned.

NTDA on NIHOTOUR Act 2022

In his presentation, the Director Overseeing Office of the Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Mr Ovie Richard Esewhaye, emphasised that their primary objective is to ensure that NIHOTOUR’s mandate is correctly applied to human capital development without usurping the functions of other agencies.

Esewhaye noted that the approach will prevent the creation of an unnecessary burden on the private sector, aligning the industry collective efforts with national economic goals.

He stated that the stakeholders must work in synergy to deliver tourism growth without being encumbered by bureaucracy, multiple levies, conflicting standards, or duplicated functions.

While calling for the reworking of NIHOTOUR Regulations 2025, Esewhaye stated that the proposed regulations should be redrafted to accurately reflect NIHOTOUR’s primary mandate of capacity development for personnel within the tourism industry, not regulatory oversight.

He called for a Joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – NTDA-NIHOTOUR (MoU), to be drafted to clearly define the functions of each agency and establish protocols for data and information sharing to enhance synergy.

He also called for the: “Establishment of a Technical Committee: A technical committee should be formed to articulate the specific regulatory functions of each agency. This committee would serve as an “industry explainer” to provide clarity for all stakeholders across the tourism value chain.

On the review of NIHOTOUR’s Fees and Charges: NTDA recommends an advisories review of NIHOTOUR’s fees and charges, advocating for a downward revision to align with current industry realities and reduce the financial burden on practitioners”.

He urged NIHOTOUR to immediately review its website and public communications to remove any wording that projects a misleading impression of its being a tourism regulator.

NTDA Act 2022

For the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), the umbrella body of all the 23 private tourism sector associations, its President, Dr Aliyu Ajayi Badaki, urged the Minister to champion a review and realignment of all available Acts in the industry to ensure that they are reworked to empower rather than stifle, promote efficiency and encourage Inclusiveness for the development of tourism in Nigeria.

Badaki commended the federal government for recognising the need to strengthen the operational and institutional framework of tourism with hospitality development and practice as an integral part in Nigeria with the above two Acts.

He stated that the Acts, were subjected to a thorough and careful review through wide consultations with their industry members and have identified the following areas of critical concern, duplication and potential conflicts both within the two government agencies and also with the organised private sector that may impact the operations and sustainable growth of the tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria if left uncorrected immediately.

Badaki further explained that the position paper provides details of the Federation’s comments, critical concerns and possible recommendations on both Acts with the aim of fostering clarity and ensuring harmonious collaboration between the public and private sectors in the effort at driving tourism development agenda in Nigeria under the President’s renewed hope agenda for Nigeria.

On the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, NTDA, Act of 2022, Badaki said the Act empowers the Authority to regulate tourism activities and also operate as a

commercial entity as tour operators, convention and Bureau centre just as running consultancy and thereby competing directly with the private sector.

He said this needs to be addressed to avoid disruptive conflicts as; Section 6(c) empowers NTDA to also train and regulate the consumer protection provision in section 5(c) which is certainly in conflict with the provisions of the authorities of the Federal Competition and Consumer protection commission (FCCPC) and needs review to avoid conflicts.

FTAN President further explained; “The introduction of new levies of 1% of Hotel Room tax and others will amount to multiple taxation which is already a source of conflict between the Lagos State and Federal Government leading to the Supreme Court judgement of 2013 and still subsisting except when the Alliance program is strategically executed.

‘‘There are even clear duplication of roles NTDA and the State governments which has already been resolved by the Supreme Court judgement on residual and exclusive list declaration. This may have to be managed collaboratively to avoid another explosive conflict_.

Badaki continued that the implementation of tourism policies are still been viewed and unexpectedly pursued as a matter of coercion in the Country with consequences for non-compliance.

According to him, the modus-operandi for the Tourism Development Fund is clearly ambiguous and surely will need further clarity as to purposes, source, and benefits modality has to be addressed.

He recommended that the NTDA ACT 2022 should focus attention on the big picture of policy formulation, destination marketing, Product Development, Investment Facilitation, and creating an encouraging enabling environment for doing Tourism business.

Badaki also stated; ‘‘training, capacity development and regulation of business and practice in any country and Nigeria inclusive has always been the functions of private sector activities and voluntary after the initial evidence of business registration, certification and evidence of attended school certification from Universities, Polytechnics and other training Institutions inclusive of National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Studies(NIHOTOURS) in Nigeria and should be expunged immediately from the functions of NTDA except for the development of the staffs of the Agency.

‘‘Others are that Government organisations are not expected to engage in commercial activities of making glaring profit, therefore, all commercial activities designated as functions of NTDA should be removed immediately to avoid glaring conflicts except farmed through Private Party Partnership-PPP.

‘‘That the modalities for the funding and operations of the Tourism Development Fund must be revisited as the current provisions are vague and ambiguous while the benefits to Alliance Members and funding modalities must also be clearly spelt out through necessary consultations with the private sector.’’

He stated that the Board of the NTDA must have strong representation of the private sector operators inclusive of the standing committees on issues that concern the industry but not necessarily on their day to day official activities of the Authority.

Badaki advised that FTAN as a strategic partner, should be adequately and strategically involved in policy creation and implementation, while the formulation, implementation and execution of tourism policies are required to be done through collaboration rather than coercion and without prejudice in view of the Supreme Court judgment of 2013.

NIHOTOUR Act 2022

On the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism ACT 2022, FTAN President posited that the constituents of FTAN responsible for training and capacity development were very grateful when the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 was enacted but they were quite surprised just as FTAN, on some of the provisions and domiciliation of the Act.

He said: “This surprises, constituted the major reasons for the engagement of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and private sector since the enactment of the law to no avail.

He outlined the major concerns on the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 to include: That another academic institution will register and re-certify Professionals who have passed through accredited academic programs of other higher academic Institutions such as Polytechnics and Universities accredited by National Universities Commission, and National Board for Technical Education as provided in the functions of NIHOTOURS is crude, an aberration and has never been heard of in civilised Countries and Societies as seen in Part 1, section 1(a-d) and part I, section I(a-I) respectively.

He revealed that there has been other Bill submitted to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since 2000 with the same functions and which has passed through the second reading of the Senate with a follow up meeting with the Clerk of the Senate in October 2002 directing the harmonisation of interest with other regulating and Professional Bodies in the industry to attain the final reading and passage of the Senate.

“The domiciliation of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 in the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Studies for execution with the provisions of other pending Bill is circumspect and call for concern.

Given, that this bill is truly for National Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), the provisions are generally against industrial procedures and standards making it inoperable without the resultant conflicts and confusion as witnessed today.

This NIHOTOUR Act 2022 acquired double identity of an academic institution (see part II section 14-17, section 4 (a-v) and section 5 (3a-k) as well as a training, certification and regulatory authority (see Part I section 1(a-d) and Part 5 section 1(a-i), which is naturally unacceptable in civilised societies,” Badaki noted.

He pointed out again that a body cannot be a training Institution as well as a regulatory and certification institution at the same time leading to the conflict of appropriating and re-probating self at the same time.

According to him, “This surely is conflicting, it cannot stand and must be reviewed immediately.

The provision of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 to make an academic institution to compulsorily register practitioners  and far more qualified Professionals for re-certification is never a reasonable provision except meant for registered Professional Bodies in the industry to ensure that academic graduates are in sync with industry standards and fit- Part 5 section 1(a-i).

Making punitive measures and criminalisation of default, a function of any academic institution is surely an overkill, an aberration and even the setting up of a Tribunal to try defaulters  is a misnomer and against the Constitution and common sense-See part Vii sections 39,40,41,42,43,44 and Part Viii section 45, and Part IX section 46 in totality.”

He stated that it is also an observable issue that there are conflicting provisions with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education, Industry Professional Bodies and many other Agencies of government

FTAN recommended that in view of the above observed irregularities and ambiguities to stem the tide of conflicts and ensure peace, collaboration and development in the industry: It recommended that all conflicting areas of the supposed Act inclusive of registration, regulation, and certification of professionals and practitioners must be reviewed and removed without further delay as this undermines the role of higher academic institutions and professional bodies in the industry, stressing that this are normally based on voluntary initiatives and career progression.

While citing that the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria, the Chattered Institute of Personnel Management, the Nigerian Society of Engineers etc as critical examples, Badaki stated that the NIHOTOUR must remain strictly on its workforce/manpower development agenda to train vocational skills for the industry as organisations such as CMD, ASCON, Law School, Institute of Legal Studies and NIPSS are critical examples to follow.

He said the Ministry should facilitate the enabling environment and necessary cooperation with the National Assembly to enact Acts for the necessary aspects of the business to carry out such functions of regulation, regularisation and certification on voluntary basis for career progression.

FTAN President also be advised that NIHOTOUR should henceforth adopt a strategy of being light-asset, technology-driven and strategic in their training approach rather than the multiple campuses approach which are expensive and cumbersome to maintain with very high cost of operations.

Badaki noted that neither of the two bills (NTDA and NIHOTOUR) passed through the compulsory and mandatory public hearing before the final passage but surprisingly they were packaged for the assent of the then President,  adding that this they  consider inappropriate.

FTAN President advised that the duplication identified in the two Acts should be identified and harmonised for meaningful operational efficiency complementarily, and not competitively.

Encourage regular structured engagements between government MDA’s and FTAN to harmonise positions and resolve conflicts whenever such arises.

Badaki stated that the Ministry and the Agencies must strive to empower rather than stifle the private sector.

He emphasised that the tourism industry holds immense potential to contribute significantly to the gross domestic product, job creation, and national branding.

Badaki pointed out that this potential can only be realised through a clear, coherent institutional framework, and cooperation of all.

He reaffirmed FTAN’s commitment to cooperate and work hand-in-hand with government and all other stakeholders in building a vibrant and globally competitive Nigerian Tourism industry.

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…to meet with FTAN, other stakeholders

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, has ordered the Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Dr Abisoye Fagade, to suspend with immediate effect enforcement exercise on registration of hotels and operators in the hospitality industry.

This order, which was contained in a press statement from the Ministry, is coming on the heels of the letter to Musawa by the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), calling on the Minister to direct Fagade to put on hold the exercise, pending the review of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022, which industry operators have kicked against because its entrusted over-reaching powers on the tourism parastatal.

It will be recalled that the attempt by NIHOTOUR to enforce the provisions of the Act in Lagos last week led to the disruption of the operations of some of the international hotels visited, arrest, detention and brutalisation of some of them.

The press statement noted that the decision of the Minister order the suspension of the exercise, which has caused tension in the tourism sector and put NIHOTOUR on collision course with the operators, with the Hotels Owners and Managers of Lagos Association and others, dragging NIHOTOUR to court on the matter, was; ‘‘to pave the way for a more inclusive, transparent, and consultative stakeholder engagement process, which the Honourable Minister will personally lead in the coming weeks.’’

The statement reads in parts; ‘‘While reaffirming NIHOTOUR’s legal mandate to regulate standards, maintain a register of personnel, practitioners, and professionals, and ensure compliance across Nigeria’s hospitality, tourism, and travel sectors, the Minister called for calm and mutual understanding among all stakeholders.

“The industry must be driven by standards, but our approach must also reflect our shared humanity. Compliance must not come at the expense of dialogue.

A multi-stakeholder roundtable will be convened shortly to harmonize expectations, deepen collaboration, and reposition the industry for sustainable growth in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and also his compassionate approach of tempering justice with mercy.

‘‘The Ministry remains dedicated to strengthening dialogue and strategic partnerships with all sectoral stakeholders to build an ecosystem rooted in trust, innovation, and shared prosperity.’’

Musawa FTAN and other professional bodies for their steadfast commitment to advancing sectoral growth and cohesion, and reaffirmed her commitment to supporting NIHOTOUR in its ongoing transformation into a dynamic, responsible, and industry-aligned regulatory institution working collaboratively for national development.

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At the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing Series held at the National Press Centre, Abuja, the Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa, presented a detailed progress report that underscored the Ministry’s strategic reforms, partnerships, and cultural diplomacy efforts.

Barely 18 months into her tenure, Musawa, highlighted how the Ministry has evolved into a cornerstone of Nigeria’s sustainable development strategy, leveraging the creative industries to foster inclusive economic growth and national pride.

“With the Renewed Hope Agenda as our guide, we are moving beyond cultural celebration to economic transformation. Art, culture, tourism, and the creative economy are now active contributors to job creation, global recognition, and national prosperity,” she stated.

Reframing Culture as a Strategic Asset

Following the October 2023 merger of the former Ministries of Tourism and of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the consolidated Ministry has focused on maximizing efficiency, reducing cost, and delivering unified policies with broader impact. This alignment is central to Nigeria’s drive to strengthen cultural identity while contributing tangibly to GDP and youth empowerment.

Data-Driven Development: The D30 Initiative

Central to the Ministry’s strategy is the D30 Data Initiative, designed to comprehensively map Nigeria’s creative economy and support data-driven planning. Early outcomes have identified five major value chains within the music industry alone, with job creation potential exceeding 500,000 new roles by 2030. Final validation and publication are expected by June 2025.

Rewriting the Rulebook: Policy Innovation

In collaboration with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and other sector stakeholders, the Ministry is actively modernising outdated frameworks. Key reforms include:

• The National Policy on Intellectual Property Rights
• Establishment of the Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF)
• Review of the 1988 Cultural Policy and the 2005 Tourism Policy
• Transitioning the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) from censorship to content classification
• Introduction of monetisation and credit-access policies tailored to the creative ecosystem

These reforms aim to formalize the sector, strengthen legal protections, and create more inclusive financial pathways.

Raising Nigeria’s Global Cultural Profile

With the launch of “Destination 2030: Nigeria Everywhere” at Davos, Nigeria’s global cultural standing has significantly improved, climbing 14 points in soft power rankings in under a year. The country’s participation at prestigious international events such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Biennale, along with new heritage recognitions by UNESCO and ICESCO for festivals like the Sango Festival and Kano Durbar, reflect this momentum.

Unlocking Investment for the Creative Future

The Ministry has successfully secured a $200 million investment from AFREXIM Bank to boost creative sector development. Through the newly launched Creative Economy Development Fund, financing is now accessible via debt, equity, and grants. Strategic partnerships with institutions such as the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) are ensuring creative assets are not only protected but monetized for national growth.

Creative Infrastructure for a New Generation

A landmark initiative, the Creative and Tourism Infrastructure Corporation (CTICo), has received presidential approval with a ₦100 billion investment plan, projected to create over 2 million jobs. Major infrastructure projects include:

• The Abuja Creative City, developed on 26 hectares in partnership with Creative Park Ltd
• Nationwide renovation of cultural villages and museums
• A Digital Museum Project, delivered in partnership with IHS Nigeria and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM)
• Concessionary financing from the French Treasury, now expanded from €35 million to €100 million

Strategic Collaborations and Cultural Diplomacy

Musawa emphasised the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration. The Ministry’s growing list of partners includes MTN, Chocolate City, WIPO, MOFI, and AFREXIM, alongside bilateral cultural agreements with countries like Brazil, France, and the United Arab Emirates. Traditional institutions and state governments also play critical roles under the Renewed Hope Cultural Project, fostering grassroots ownership.

Sectoral Highlights: Inclusion, Innovation, and Influence

• Film Co-productions with countries such as France and South Africa are expanding Nigeria’s cinematic reach
• Nigeria is preparing to host the 68th United Nations Tourism Commission for Africa (CAF) in June 2025, solidifying its position on the tourism map
• Dedicated empowerment programs for youth and women are creating new avenues for learning, creativity, and entrepreneurship
• Efforts in cultural preservation through intergenerational knowledge transfer and formal education are enriching national identity

Challenges and the Road Ahead

Despite these achievements, the Minister acknowledged existing challenges such as limited infrastructure at tourism sites, fragmented markets, inadequate distribution channels, and rising global competition. However, she affirmed the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to addressing these through continued innovation, investment, and partnerships.

As the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy positions Nigeria as a beacon of creativity, identity, and inclusive prosperity, the evidence is clear: culture is no longer just heritage — it is a driver of the future.

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