The Federation of Tourism Associations of  Nigeria (FTAN) has called for the review and re-enactment of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Act and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) Act.

According to FTAN, ambiguities in the NIHOTOUR and NTDA Acts have fuelled disputes and litigation in tourism.

The association said this in a communiqué issued at a news conference on Tuesday in Lagos.

The conference was organised by FTAN as part of activities marking the first anniversary of the current administration, led by its president, Aliyu Badaki.

The conference had the theme “Changing the Narrative: Tackling the Structural Challenges of Nigeria’s Tourism Industry Through the Tourism Transformation Mandate (TTM).”

According to the communiqué, FTAN is seeking a return of both laws to the National Assembly to redefine the responsibilities of regulators and industry players.

“The position of FTAN is that both the Acts of NTDA and NIHOTOUR should be returned to the National Assembly for re-enactment that will clearly define the roles of the agencies and stakeholders.

“At the time being, the agencies should focus on their initial mandate while the process is going on.

“FTAN is always open to constructive engagement and dialogue in resolving the issues with the Acts,” it stated.

The association further urged the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy to expedite action on the bill, saying it aligns with the federal government’s renewed hope agenda.

The association said the sector also faced poor coordination, disjointed stakeholder engagement, inconsistent policies and limited collaboration between government and the private sector — factors that have stalled investment and growth.

The association said its current leadership adopted the tourism transformation mandate (TTM) as a strategic blueprint, while also strengthening the secretariat, rebuilding ties with government agencies and expanding engagement with member associations.

The communiqué also highlighted efforts to deepen regional cooperation, noting that FTAN had restored institutional ties with the ECOWAS Commission and strengthened collaboration with the Confederation of Private Sector Organisations of Tourism (COPITOUR) in ECOWAS.

It added that FTAN had secured support to host the COPITOUR Executive Meeting in Abuja during the 2026 Nigeria Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition (NTIFE).

According to the association, NTIFE has also been repositioned as a broader regional investment platform to attract investors, development partners, state governments and tourism businesses across the tourism value chain.

FTAN reiterated its commitment to the Tourism Transformation Mandate, saying it would step up advocacy for policy reforms, strengthen partnerships and position tourism as a key driver of economic diversification, job creation, enterprise growth and foreign direct investment.

Concerns over overlapping regulatory powers have fuelled controversy around the NIHOTOUR and NTDA Acts, both signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari on February 14, 2022.

NTDA is principally responsible for tourism development, destination promotion and the classification and registration of tourism enterprises.

Consequently, the act empowers the authority to regulate tourism activities while also functioning commercially — operating as a tour operator, convention bureau and consultancy outfit — putting it in direct competition with private operators it is meant to oversee.

The NIHOTOUR Act expanded the institute’s traditional training role to include the licensing and registration of tourism, hospitality and travel practitioners, as well as enforcement of professional standards.

Stakeholders say this has created direct overlap with the NTDA, which they maintain holds the legal mandate for hotel registration, resulting in confusion over which agency has authority over the same activities.

It also triggered disagreements among tourism operators over which agency should regulate businesses and practitioners, with many expressing concerns about possible multiple registrations, duplicated regulatory functions and increased compliance costs.

Tensions escalated after NIHOTOUR began enforcing compliance through police-backed raids on hotels, prompting the federal government to order the suspension of the institute’s enforcement operations nationwide in November 2025 pending a review of the Act. 

(NAN)