R-L: Gideon Taiwo Oludayo, Internal Auditor! Dauud Gbenga, South West Vice President; Dr Aliyu Ajayi Badaki, President; and Mr Kayode Kolade, South West Immediate Vice President, all of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN); … during the media briefing held by FTAN in Lagos
The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has called on the Federal Government to urgently return the Nigerian Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Act and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) Act to the National Assembly for a comprehensive review and re-enactment, arguing that both laws in their current form have created confusion, conflicts and litigation within the tourism industry.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos to mark one year of the current FTAN administration under the leadership of its President, Dr. Badaki Aliyu, the umbrella body of private sector tourism operators said the tourism industry requires urgent restructuring to reflect the realities of the sector and protect the interests of operators.
The press conference, themed, “Changing the Narrative: Tackling the Structural Challenges of Nigeria’s Tourism Industry Through the Tourism Transformation Mandate (TTM),” focused on the need to address long-standing structural challenges that have hindered the growth and development of tourism in the country.
FTAN said the implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act, 2022, had caused more harm than good to the industry, leading to disagreements, confusion and several court cases involving stakeholders.
“The confusion and disagreement on the NIHOTOUR Act, 2022 was inherited from the past President of FTAN. The Act and its implementation have caused more harm than good, which the industry has never witnessed before, with lots of litigations going on, especially with the involvement of fifth columnists among our members because of their private gains,” the federation stated.
According to the association, both the NIHOTOUR and NTDA Acts should be returned to the National Assembly for re-enactment in order to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the agencies and stakeholders in the tourism ecosystem.
FTAN further recommended that while the review process is ongoing, both agencies should revert to their original mandates to avoid further conflicts and ensure stability within the industry.
“The position of FTAN is that both the Acts of NTDA and NIHOTOUR should be returned back 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,” the federation said.
The body stressed that it remains open to constructive engagement and dialogue in resolving the issues surrounding the two Acts and called on the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy to fast-track the review process in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
FTAN noted that policy inconsistencies, fragmented regulation and inadequate participation of private sector operators in tourism policy formulation have continued to discourage investment and slow the growth of the industry.
It argued that tourism legislation and regulatory frameworks should be developed through broad consultations with industry practitioners to ensure that the laws reflect the realities of the sector and support investment, job creation and sustainable development.
The federation reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying advocacy for policy alignment and regulatory reforms as part of its Tourism Transformation Mandate, which serves as its strategic blueprint for repositioning Nigeria’s tourism industry.
As it marked one year in office, FTAN said the true measure of leadership lies in removing systemic barriers and building sustainable institutions capable of driving the transformation of the tourism sector.
The federation therefore called on governments at all levels, industry operators and stakeholders to support efforts aimed at restructuring the tourism industry and creating a more coherent, investment-friendly and globally competitive tourism sector in Nigeria.
