Nigeria Deepens Tourism Professionalisation as Musawa Leads Landmark NIHOTOUR Reform Drive

Nigeria Deepens Tourism Professionalisation as Musawa Leads Landmark NIHOTOUR Reform Drive

PHOTO CAPTION:

L–R: Abdulkarim Ozi Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy; Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy; and Aare Dr. Abisoye Fagade, Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to building a globally competitive tourism and hospitality ecosystem as the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., presided over the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Sectoral Personnel, Practitioners, Operators and Institutions Registration, Induction and Professional Practice Certificate Presentation Ceremony in Abuja.

The landmark event marked a major milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to professionalise, regulate and strengthen the hospitality and tourism industry as a strategic contributor to economic diversification, employment generation, cultural diplomacy and sustainable national development under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.Addressing participants, the Honourable Minister described the initiative as a transformational step in the institutional development of Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality ecosystem, noting that no sector can attain sustainable growth without structure, standards and skilled professionals.

“The tourism and hospitality industry remains one of the fastest-growing sectors globally, contributing significantly to employment generation, foreign exchange earnings, cultural diplomacy and national development.

 Nigeria possesses extraordinary cultural diversity, heritage assets, creative talent and natural tourism destinations, but to unlock this immense potential, professionalism, accountability, standardisation and competence must remain central to our national strategy,” she stated.

The Minister noted that the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act has significantly strengthened the institution’s mandate beyond training, positioning it as a critical regulatory and standards authority for hospitality, tourism and travel practitioners in Nigeria.

She further emphasised the importance of collaboration across government institutions, the private sector and industry operators, stressing that sustainable sector growth can only be achieved through partnership, shared standards and a common commitment to national development.In his remarks, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NIHOTOUR, Aare Dr. Abisoye Fagade, described the ceremony as a defining institutional moment in the formalisation of Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality future.

According to him, the induction of registered practitioners, conferment of fellowship honours and inauguration of the governing boards of the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria collectively represent a new era of competence, professional recognition and institutional governance within the sector.

He noted that tourism remains one of the strongest pathways for economic growth, job creation and investor confidence, stressing that professional regulation and standardisation are essential to positioning Nigeria as a credible global tourism destination.“Today, we are not merely gathering for ceremony. 

We are laying the foundation for a more structured, respected, innovative and globally competitive hospitality and tourism industry,” he stated.

The Director-General further highlighted NIHOTOUR’s renewed commitment to competency-based certification, workforce development, employer-led sector collaboration, training excellence and stronger alignment between professional practice and international standards.The event also received strong institutional endorsements from sister agencies and sector leaders.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, underscored the economic value of culture as a major national asset, stressing that when professionally structured and effectively managed, culture can drive tourism growth, strengthen national identity, create jobs and expand Nigeria’s influence in the global creative and cultural economy.

Similarly, the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr. Olayiwola Awakan, commended NIHOTOUR’s leadership for advancing competence, ethics and continuous professional development within the tourism value chain, noting that stronger standards would enhance investor confidence and improve service delivery across the sector.Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Gallery of Art (NGA), Ahmed Bashir Sodangi, highlighted the importance of harnessing creativity, cultural expression and innovation as strategic economic assets capable of creating employment opportunities, boosting tourism traffic and strengthening Nigeria’s soft power globally.

A major highlight of the event was the conferment of Fellowship honours on distinguished Nigerians in recognition of their outstanding contributions to public service, tourism development, cultural advancement and national growth.

Among those honoured were the Honourable Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq.; the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Abdulkarim Ozi Ibrahim; Director-General/CEO, NIHOTOUR, Aare Dr. Abisoye Fagade; Executive Secretary/CEO, NICO, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye; Director-General, NTDA, Dr. Olayiwola Awakan; alongside other eminent public servants, tourism stakeholders and distinguished national figures.

The ceremony also witnessed the induction of registered hospitality and tourism professionals across fellowship, senior membership and membership categories, further reinforcing government’s drive toward building a structured, ethical and globally competitive tourism workforce.With this landmark initiative, the Federal Government continues to demonstrate its resolve to unlock the full economic potential of tourism, hospitality, culture and the creative economy as engines of prosperity, national pride and sustainable development.