A Federal High Court in Lagos has ruled in favour of the Hotel Owners and Managers Association of Lagos (HOMAL) in its legal dispute with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), declaring certain provisions of the institute’s governing law inapplicable to hotels operating within Lagos State and ordering a ₦10 million payment against NIHOTOUR.
In a statement dated October 15, 2026, HOMAL President, Chief S. O. Alabi, said the court granted all the reliefs sought by the association in the suit, HOMAL vs NIHOTOUR & 20 Others, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
According to the statement, the court declared that provisions of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Establishment Act 2022 relating to the standardisation, registration and certification of hospitality and tourism personnel, as well as the prescription of minimum manpower standards, were illegal, ultra vires and unconstitutional in their application to hospitality establishments wholly situated and operating within Lagos State.
The court also held that the Lagos State Hotels Licensing Authority Law 2010 is the legislation regulating tourism within the state.
HOMAL said the judgment further established that NIHOTOUR lacked the constitutional authority under its 2022 Act to regulate or revoke operating licences issued to members of the association by the Lagos State Government under the state’s hotels licensing law.
The statement added that the court declared all regulations and enforcement actions undertaken by NIHOTOUR against HOMAL members within Lagos State, pursuant to the federal Act, unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.
As part of the reliefs granted, the court ordered NIHOTOUR to refund payments made by HOMAL members in connection with the institute’s enforcement activities.
It also granted a perpetual injunction restraining NIHOTOUR from carrying out enforcement actions against the affected members, including forcible actions, arrest, detention and the collection of money or fees pursuant to the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act 2022.
In addition, the court awarded ₦10 million against NIHOTOUR in favour of HOMAL, according to the association’s statement.
The ruling represents a significant development in the dispute over the respective regulatory responsibilities of federal and state authorities in Lagos State’s hospitality sector, particularly concerning hotel licensing, personnel certification and enforcement.
However, the details of the court’s judgment and any subsequent legal steps by the parties could not be independently established from the association’s statement alone.
