Korede Abdullah in Lagos
The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has launched a statewide compliance enforcement operation across Lagos, targeting hotels, restaurants, and tourism-related businesses.
The initiative, which commenced earlier this week, is designed to implement the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act 2022, particularly sections mandating the registration and certification of professionals and establishments within the industry.
According to a statement issued by the institute on Wednesday, the move is part of its statutory responsibility to regulate and standardise practices in Nigeria’s booming hospitality and tourism sector.
Director of Legal Services at NIHOTOUR, Mrs. Mariam Inuwa stressed the urgency of the exercise, describing it as “long overdue.”
She cited Section 5(1)(h) of the Act, which empowers the institute to regulate hospitality and tourism professionals, and Section 4(o), which mandates the certification of all practitioners to enhance professionalism and service quality.
As part of the sweep, several major hotels were visited, including Marriott Hotel Ikeja GRA, The Sojourner, Sheraton Lagos, Radisson Blu, Black Diamond Hotel, and FourPoints by Sheraton. NIHOTOUR confirmed that these visits followed the issuance of official letters of demand and contravention notices.
Encouragingly, the institute revealed that many of the high-profile establishments have already begun complying with the law.
“NIHOTOUR is pleased to announce that Marriott Hotel, The Sojourner, Radisson Blu, Black Diamond, and FourPoints by Sheraton have all commenced the process of registration and certification, in line with regulatory expectations,” the statement read.
The compliance drive, according to NIHOTOUR, is being viewed as a vital effort to sanitise the sector and align it with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The institute affirmed its commitment to ongoing engagement with stakeholders while ensuring full adherence to legal standards.
