The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) to advance the development, regulation, and professionalization of Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry.
This commitment was made when the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, received in audience a delegation from NIHOTOUR led by its Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abisoye Fagade, at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja.
In his opening remarks, Mazi Osigwe highlighted the significant role of the Bar in the hospitality value chain, noting that the Association, with over 130 branches across the federation, remains an active stakeholder in the industry. “Lawyers across Nigeria are some of the most frequent users of hotels, conference facilities, and other hospitality establishments,” he stated. “As such, the Bar is not only a consumer within this ecosystem but also a partner in strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks that sustain it.”
The NBA President lauded NIHOTOUR’s leadership for its proactive efforts to reposition the hospitality and tourism industry, describing the visit as an important step toward fostering structured collaboration between the legal profession and the sector.
In his remarks, Dr. Abisoye Fagade thanked the NBA President for the warm reception and recalled that in 2022, former President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the NIHOTOUR Act, which empowers the Institute to regulate and professionalize the hospitality industry across Nigeria. The Director-General emphasized that a strategic partnership with the NBA would significantly enhance the Institute’s capacity to build credible data systems, improve compliance with industry standards, and promote reforms that align the sector with global best practices.
Dr. Fagade also announced that the Institute will, for the first time in its history, conduct an Induction Ceremony for Hospitality Professionals, and extended a formal invitation to the NBA President to deliver a goodwill message at the event.
Responding, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN welcomed the proposed collaboration, describing tourism and hospitality as “vital engines of economic transformation.” He referenced the success stories of countries such as Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, which have built thriving economies around tourism, and urged Nigeria to take deliberate steps in that direction.
“We must see hospitality and tourism as more than just leisure sectors,” he said. “They are catalysts for job creation, foreign investment, and national development. With a robust legal framework and institutional support, Nigeria can unlock the enormous potential of this industry.”
The NBA President also reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to working with NIHOTOUR to advance the objectives of its establishment Act and to support regulatory and policy reforms that would elevate the standards of the industry. He emphasized that the NBA Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) would play a key role in facilitating dialogue, training, and knowledge-sharing initiatives focused on hospitality and tourism law.
The meeting concluded with a shared understanding that both institutions would explore the establishment of a joint policy forum dedicated to reviewing the laws and frameworks governing the hospitality and tourism sector in Nigeria.
According to Osigwe, “This engagement marks the beginning of a meaningful partnership between the NBA and NIHOTOUR. It reflects our shared vision to promote economic growth, strengthen governance frameworks, and use the law as a driver of national transformation.”
