Wednesday, July 30, 2025
On 30 July 2025, the National Institute for Hospitality & Tourism (NIHOTOUR) unveiled a bold initiative: a disciplinary tribunal empowered to sanction tourism offenders. Under the leadership of Justice (Dr.) Ishaq Bello, aided by representatives including the Director-General Dr Abisoye Fagade and NATOP President Hajia Bolaji Mustapha, the tribunal marks a pivotal shift. Moving from a pure training institution to a regulatory force, NIHOTOUR aims to enforce professional ethics and licensing compliance across hospitality and travel sectors.
Mandate and Authority of the Tribunal
The Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (HTTPDT) is authorised to review violations including: fraudulent licence acquisition, poor hygiene standards, misleading promotional claims, breach of consumer trust, and unlicensed operations. Appointed members bring legal and operational depth—from tourism operators to hospitality educators—and will investigate complaints, conduct hearings, and issue sanctions ranging from warnings to licence revocations.
Justice Bello, drawing from his judicial experience in FCT, will oversee this disciplinary mechanism, while NATOP ensures private sector representation, and the Chartered Institute of Hospitality supports professional training standards. Their mandate: restore integrity and elevate Nigeria’s tourism profile on the global stage.
Tourism Sector Reform: Why It Matters
Elevating Trust for Travelers
Tourists—both domestic and international—make decisions based on trust. Past complaints of poor service, lack of accreditation, or hidden fees created reputational risks for Nigeria. A tribunal signalling enforcement reassures airlines, tour operators, and booking platforms that travelers will receive legitimate, safe, and regulated experiences.
Economic Growth Through Compliance
Nigeria’s tourism contributes significantly to GDP and job creation. Under the Federal Ministry of Tourism, operators report millions of annual visitors to destinations such as Abuja, Lagos, Obudu Mountain Resort, and Cross River rainforests. By ensuring service standards—such as sector training, proper licensing, and transparent pricing—the tribunal aims to reduce fraud and competition from unscrupulous operators, preserving revenue and protecting small, compliant businesses.
Structure, Oversight, and Stakeholder Collaboration
Tribunal Composition and Inauguration
At the inauguration ceremony, NIHOTOUR’s Director-General Dr Abisoye Fagade emphasised the tribunal fits into a broader institutional transformation, stressing industry competence and ethics. The Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy praised the reform as bold and necessary for restoring tourism sector credibility. Meanwhile, the House Committee on Tourism chairman, Muktar Mohammed, underlined the tribunal’s reformative—not merely punitive—nature, supporting transparency and fairness.
Sector Engagement
The tribunal’s success hinges on collaboration: licensing authorities, tour operator associations, hospitality schools, and state tourism boards. NIHOTOUR will coordinate with state ministries of tourism to share enforcement intelligence, while operators must maintain up‑to‑date documentation and submit to periodic audits.
Impact on Tourism in Nigeria
For Abuja and Capital Region Tourism
Tourists arriving in Abuja—from conferences to transit visits—can expect improved compliance in licensed hotels and event venues. With the tribunal sending inspectors to address sanitation and legal infractions, venues hosting events sponsored by the Federal Capital Territory can now assure foreign delegates and NGOs of regulatory oversight.
Coastal, Northern and Interior Tourism Benefits
Destinations like Calabar Carnival, Lagos waterfront excursions, Yankari Game Reserve, and Obudu Mountain Resort commonly host tour operators. The tribunal’s regulation ensures operators maintain licensed vehicles, trained guides, vetted accommodation and safety standards—vital concerns for tourists visiting wildlife, cultural and festival attractions.
Investor and Conference Confidence
International investors, conference organizers, and business travelers assess destinations based on regulatory environment. Establishing a tribunal reinforces Nigeria’s credibility as a conference destination under the FCT and Lagos, supporting tourism diversification from leisure to business travel.
Challenges and Anticipated Outcomes
Raising Awareness and Compliance
Not all practitioners understand licensing obligations. NIHOTOUR is planning public awareness campaigns, training workshops, and a digital registry of compliant operators to strengthen understanding across both new and established service providers.
Enforcement Capacity
Ensuring the tribunal acts timely and objectively is key. NIHOTOUR must equip inspection teams, legal staff, and conflict resolution mechanisms to deliver sanctions without bias or delays, particularly as tourism grows during peak festivals and international events.
Cultural Shift and Professionalism
The policy is reformative—NIHOTOUR emphasises that first-time infractions may be met with warnings or guidance. Repeat offenders face suspensions or public sanctions, encouraging voluntary compliance. Over time, tribunal rulings are expected to establish legal precedents and raise ethical benchmarks.
Tourism Sector at Crossroads of Trust and Growth
The creation of HTTPDT represents more than regulation—it embodies a transition from a laissez‑faire system to one grounded in accountability. Nigeria’s large and diverse hospitality sector, from Lagos nightlife to Kalakuta cultural tours, now stands at a turning point where unlicensed or unethical actors can no longer operate unchecked.
Tourism policy today connects strongly with consumer protection frameworks and global travel platforms. Having visible enforcement mechanisms helps platforms vet operators, increases traveler confidence, and ultimately raises Nigeria’s ranking in global tourism indexes.
Human Stories: Expecting Safer Travel Experiences
For Ms. Adeola, a domestic visitor who received substandard accommodation in Abuja last year, tribunal decisions offer hope. She hopes that her experience will catalyse higher standards. For foreign travellers booking safaris in Yankari Reserve, the tribunal’s oversight ensures that guides carry valid credentials and vehicles meet safety standards.
For tour operators who have invested in training and equipment legally, the tribunal promises protection from unfair competition and reassures them that professionalism will be rewarded—driving long‑term partnerships with international agencies.
Conclusion
As Justice Ishaq Bello raised gavel echoes in NIHOTOUR’s conference room, Nigeria’s tourism sector quietly shifted. It is no longer enough to register a trade name—professionals must now uphold ethics, training, safety, and public trust. In that migration from technical compliance to moral professionalism, Nigeria reclaims a tourism industry that visitors can trust and practitioners can be proud of.
Whether journeying to explore Calabar culture, the Sahara fringe, or Nigeria’s bustling cities, travelers now benefit from a clearer promise of integrity. And at the heart of the tribunal’s mission lies a hopeful reality: tourism not just as economic driver, but as a reflection of a country’s character and capacity to welcome with dignity.
