The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has inaugurated a National Committee on Industry Professional Bodies Recognition and Governance (NCIPBRG) to develop a framework for the recognition and regulation of professional bodies in Nigeria’s hospitality, tourism, travel and allied sectors.
Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIHOTOUR, Aare Abisoye Fagade, inaugurated the committee at the institute’s headquarters in Abuja, charging members to submit their recommendations within three months.
Fagade said the initiative followed the institute’s recent stakeholders’ conference and forms part of efforts to strengthen professionalism, institutional governance and collaboration across the tourism and hospitality industry.
He noted that while several professional associations operate within the sector, there is a need for a unified governance framework to promote accountability, ethical standards, mutual recognition and compliance with global best practices.
“The future of every profession depends not only on the competence of its practitioners but also on the strength of the institutions that represent them. This committee has been entrusted with the responsibility of laying the foundation for a transparent, credible and nationally accepted framework that will guide the recognition and governance of professional bodies within our industry,” Fagade said.
According to him, the committee’s assignment aligns with the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act, 2022, which mandates the institute to regulate standards, promote professional development and strengthen institutional capacity within the hospitality and tourism sector.
He said the committee would develop criteria for recognising professional bodies, recommend governance and accountability standards, propose ethical guidelines, improve coordination among industry associations and suggest strategies to enhance professionalism, investor confidence and global competitiveness.
Fagade stressed that the initiative was not intended to restrict legitimate professional organisations but to establish standards that would promote transparency, excellence and public confidence.
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Responding on behalf of the committee, its Chairman, Professor Wasiu A. Babalola, thanked the NIHOTOUR management for the confidence reposed in the members and pledged to deliver practical recommendations that would advance the industry’s collective interests.
He described the assignment as a national responsibility requiring collaboration, objectivity and broad stakeholder engagement.
“This committee represents a unique opportunity for industry stakeholders to collectively shape the future governance framework of our profession. We shall approach this assignment with integrity, fairness and professionalism. Our objective is to produce recommendations that reflect global best practices while responding to Nigeria’s unique industry realities,” Babalola said.
The committee comprises professionals drawn from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, including Dr. Muhammad Nasir Yusuf, Suleiman A. Ahmad, Dr. Elizabeth Babagale, Mr. Aniyikaye Adebayo Samuel, Mr. Bashir Abiodun Bello, Ms. Ajibola Olubiyi and Mrs. Uloma Egbuona.
The committee is expected to submit its report to the Director-General within three months.
