Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy said on Monday it has suspended all enforcement activities by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) across the country.
The decision, approved by Minister Hannatu Musawa, follows a review of recent NIHOTOUR operations and rising complaints from stakeholders in the hospitality and tourism sector, according to a statement by Nneka Anibueze, the minister’s special adviser.
“Until a full policy and operational review is completed, all NIHOTOUR enforcement activities are hereby suspended nationwide,” the ministry said. The move is intended to protect the rights of operators, restore order, and ensure that regulatory activities comply with the law and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The ministry emphasized that it remains the supervising authority over NIHOTOUR, whose mandate includes setting industry standards, maintaining a register of hospitality workers, and ensuring compliance among hotels, travel agencies, and tourism operators.
Industry associations, including the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria and the Nigeria Hotel Association, had previously criticized NIHOTOUR’s enforcement as heavy-handed and overlapping with the powers of the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority. Some actions, particularly in Lagos, involved police-backed compliance raids, arrests, and demands for registration fees.
The ministry said a multi-stakeholder engagement would be convened to clarify the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act and prevent future disruptions.
NIHOTOUR was established by the NIHOTOUR (Establishment) Act of 2022 to regulate Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism sector.