To encourage investments and reposition the tourism and hospitality sector in Nigeria, stakeholders on Tuesday called for urgent reenactment of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) Act 2022.
They noted that the present Act which is on the Residual List is imbalance to allow federal drive to appropriately reposition the sector.
This was part of the Communique issued at the end of the National Hospitality and Tourism Stakeholders Meeting in Abuja. It was themed: “Shaping the Future of Nigerian Tourism Together”.
It brought together key stakeholders from across Nigeria’s hospitality and Tourism value chain including representatives from: Federal and State Government Ministries, Department and Agencies, Hospitality Operators, Tour Operators and Travel agencies, Tourism Associations and professional bodies, Tourism Investors and Private Stakeholders, Development Partners and International Organization, Traditional Rulers, Media and Tourism Promotion Platform.
The stakeholders at the occasion pushed for Standardization in the Hospitality and Tourism sector through uniform criteria for quality assurance.
Industry efforts, according to them, should align with the National Economic diversification agenda.
The Communique reads "The meeting was convened to: Strengthen collaboration among stakeholders within the hospitality and tourism ecosystem.
"Strengthen tourism governance through Hospitality and Tourism regulation as enshrined in the NTDA ACT 2022."
Its resolutions states "The forum noted that the NTDA ACT 2022 represents a significant shift from a centralized regulatory model to a collaborative framework, recognizing the constitutional role of states in tourism governance while introducing mechanisms such as tourism alliance for standardization quality assurance and consumer protection.
"The forum highlighted key implementation and governance challenges, particularly around inter agency coordination, access to incentives and the management of the Tourism Development Fund, and recommended stronger institutional synergy, enhanced fiscal accountability, and clear regulatory frameworks to ensure effective and sustainable tourism development.
"Adopt and enforce a unified national standardization framework for hospitality sector, including clear guidelines on service quality, safety, hygiene, staff training, and facility clarification to enhance competitiveness, consumer confidence and alignment with global best practices.
"Strengthen institutional collaboration and capacity building by empowering regulatory bodies, industry stakeholders to ensure consistent compliance, continuous monitoring, periodic review of the standards to derive sustainable growth.
"Stakeholders should be intentional and professional in tourism development strategies.
"Overlapping functions of the agencies in the tourism sector should be looked into by the National Assembly."
It went on "There should be a national and personal reorientation of Nigerians on the prevailing security situation in the country. That we have to go back to formalization of the Sector, and tourism should be on the concurrent list without the NTDA undermining the Privates sector and Subnational.
"That NTDA ACT and NIHOTOUR be returned to the National Assembly for reenactment through an Executive Bill.
"There should be a collaborative effort and synergy with relevant stakeholders in different sectors for the standardization of the tourism and hospitality industry." it stated
The forum also reaffirmed the collective resolve of stakeholders to position Nigeria as a competitive and attractive tourism destination, while leveraging the sector’s potential for economic diversification, job creation and national development.
Among those who signed the Communique included Director General NTDA, Dr. Ola Awakan, Chairman Forum of Commissioners of Tourism (Hon. Comm. Arts, Culture & Creative Economy, Ekiti State), Prof Rasaki Bakare, and National President, Federation of Tourism Associators of Nigeria, Dr. Aliyu Badaki.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Ola Awakan stressed that the forum is not merely a ceremonial gathering; but a strategic convergence point designed to foster dialogue, strengthen alignment, and catalyze actionable outcomes for the growth of the tourism sector.
He said tourism, both globally and within Nigeria thrives on a tripod framework consisting of attractions, hospitality, and transportation.
The attractions, he said, represented Nigeria's rich natural endowments, cultural heritage, festivals, and creative assets.
He said that hospitality defines the quality of experiences and services being provide to visitors; while transportation ensures accessibility, connectivity, and ease of movement across destinations.
Dr. Awakan said "The effectiveness of our tourism sector is therefore dependent on how well these three pillars are developed, integrated, and managed.
"Nigeria is undeniably endowed with immense tourism potential. From our diverse ecological landscapes to our vibrant cultural expressions and globally recognized creative industry, we possess the assets required to become a leading tourism destination.
"However, it is also important to acknowledge that the sector has not yet attained its full potential. Challenges such as fragmented institutional coordination, infrastructural deficits, limited global visibility, and inconsistencies in regulatory frameworks have constrained growth.
"Notwithstanding these challenges, we are at a pivotal moment in our journey, supported by renewed policy direction, growing private sector interest, the “renewed hope agenda” of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR and the enabling provisions of the NTDA Act, 2022, which provides a stronger legal and institutional foundation for transformation.
"We are strengthening the policy and regulatory framework to ensure clarity, consistency, and investor confidence, while also enforcing compliance across the tourism ecosystem.
"At the institutional level, we are building capacity to create a more responsive, efficient, and result-oriented organization capable of driving reform and innovation. In the area of tourism marketing, we are repositioning Nigeria’s image through targeted campaigns, strategic partnerships, and increased participation in global tourism platforms.
"We are also emphasizing research and development by promoting data-driven decision-making to guide planning, policy formulation, and investment strategies.
"Furthermore, we are facilitating tourism investment and infrastructure development to unlock the full value of our destinations, while also prioritizing human resource development to enhance professionalism, skills, and service delivery across the sector.
"Quality assurance remains central to our efforts, as we are committed to ensuring standards through systematic inspection, certification, and continuous monitoring of tourism enterprises," he stated
On his part, the Chairman of House Committee on Tourism, Hon. Arc. Muhammad Muktar assured that the National Assembly will give legislative support to strengthen laws to regulate tourism sector in order to attain sustainable growth.
According to him, the legislative arm is there to make laws that will shape the tourism industry and make it a sector that will be able to drive the economy and improve the GDP of the economy.
"We have a bill that will make tourism and tourism related matters unto the concurrent list. Before it was on residual list and this is what gives us bottlenecks because the states are in charge," he said.
Apart from panel discussions and goodwill messages delivered by stakeholders, there were paper presentations at the meeting.
Dr. Tony Elumelu, CEO of Global Consultants presented a paper titled "Standardization in the Hospitality Sector: Establishing Uniform Criteria for Quality Assurance."