The President of the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Hajia Bolaji Mustapha, has outlined the association’s top priorities for strengthening tour operators, deepening its partnership with Lagos State, and advancing key tourism reforms needed to position Nigeria as a competitive destination in the global tourism industry.
Speaking ahead of NATOP’s 10th Annual General Meeting, Mustapha said the association’s top three priorities for the next 12 months are Capacity, Capital, and Compliance.
“Our top three priorities for the next 12 months are simple: Capacity, Capital, and Compliance.
“Capacity: Train 1,000 tour operators on digital booking, customer safety, and global packaging so we can sell Nigeria on Expedia, not just WhatsApp.
“Capital: Unlock access to single-digit loans and insurance through dedicated insurance companies and partner banks, because no operator should close after one bad season.
“Compliance: Work with NAFDAC, FCCPC, and FRSC to set hygiene and safety standards, so when we say ‘Make Every Nigerian a Tourist’, the experience is safe from food to transport.
“If our operators are certified, funded, and digital, they will compete anywhere,” she said.
On NATOP’s recent partnership with the Lagos State Government, Mustapha said the collaboration is designed to transform Lagos from a transit city into a destination city.
“This partnership is about turning Lagos from a transit city into a destination city. In the next two to three years we expect four outcomes.
“Product: 10 new packaged tourism circuits from food, music, heritage, waterways, that agents can sell tomorrow.
“Promotion: Lagos in five international travel marts with NATOP operators on the stand, not just government.
“People: 50,000 new jobs across hotels, boats, guides, and restaurants from increased domestic and inbound traffic.
“Policy: A Lagos Tourism Single Window for permits, taxes, and safety so operators spend less time on paperwork and more time on guests.
“Lagos provides the platform. NATOP provides the people to sell it.
“Lagos is the stage. NATOP is the cast. The world is the audience,” she stated.
Speaking on how the association intends to measure the success of the partnership, Mustapha said NATOP would focus on four key performance indicators that reflect real business outcomes rather than ceremonial achievements.
“We will measure by four KPIs that matter to business, not just photo ops.
“Visitors: 500,000 additional domestic tourists to Lagos between July 2026 and July 2027, tracked through hotel and attraction data.
“Revenue: 20 percent increase in average spend per tourist through packaged tours, not just hotel rooms.
“Investment: 50 new tourism SMEs registered and funded in Lagos with NATOP facilitation.
“Jobs: 50,000 direct and indirect jobs created and documented across transport, hospitality, and culture.
“We will publish a quarterly Tourism Impact Report with Lagos State so the public can see progress, not promises.
“If we can’t count it, we can’t claim it,” she said.
Mustapha also identified three priority reforms she believes the Federal Government should implement within the next 12 months to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s tourism sector.
“If I had the President’s ear for five minutes, I would ask for three reforms that cost little but return big.
“Visa-on-Arrival Reform: 48-hour e-visa for tourists from the top 20 source markets. Tourism is about speed. No one waits three weeks to visit.
“Tourism Tax Harmonization: One tourism levy for the Federal Government, states, and local governments. Today an operator pays seven different taxes for one bus trip. That kills competitiveness.
“National Tourism Safety and Hygiene Certification: One badge from NAFDAC, FRSC, and the Ministry of Tourism that hotels, restaurants, and operators can display. Tourists buy trust first.
“If the Federal Government does these three in 12 months, Nigeria will become the easiest country to tour in West Africa.
“Faster visa. One tax. One safety badge. That is how you open a country,” she said.
By Patrick Wisdom
