As tributes continue to pour in following the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari on July 13, 2025, Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry is reflecting on one of his most enduring policy legacies — the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Establishment Act, 2022.
In a detailed commentary authored by Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo Babalola, a renowned tourism academic and Director of the African Travel Commission, the Act is hailed as a transformative milestone that offered a much-needed institutional framework for Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism ecosystem.
Signed into law during Buhari’s tenure, the NIHOTOUR Act formally established the Institute as the apex body for training, certification, and research in hospitality and tourism. According to Prof. Babalola, the Act is not just legislative progress but a “visionary step” that aims to professionalise one of Nigeria’s most underutilised non-oil sectors.
“For a sector long plagued by fragmented training structures and weak institutional capacity, the NIHOTOUR Act provided a foundational shift,” he stated. “It legitimises training, enforces standards, and creates a pipeline for structured human capital development.”
The law empowers NIHOTOUR to regulate curricula, conduct professional examinations, accredit training institutions, and issue recognised certificates. It also introduces mechanisms for competency-based education and standardisation across all regions, thereby bridging the long-standing gap between formal training and industry practice.
Prior to the Act, Nigeria’s tourism sector operated with little oversight or standardisation. Informal learning methods dominated the workforce, resulting in inconsistencies in service delivery and poor investor confidence. The new law, analysts believe, corrects these inefficiencies and aligns Nigeria’s workforce with global best practices.
Importantly, the Act also supports collaboration with international institutions, a move designed to keep Nigerian tourism professionals competitive on the global stage.
However, Prof. Babalola acknowledges that the Act is not without its flaws. He points to legislative ambiguities and overlaps in regulatory functions, calling for a collaborative approach to refining the law for effective implementation. “Now is the time for unity,” he stressed. “Stakeholders must come together to clarify roles, amend grey areas, and build a harmonised framework that serves everyone.”
The late President Buhari is credited for not just recognising tourism’s potential but backing that vision with a legal instrument to unlock its value. Though his administration did not establish a standalone Ministry of Tourism, many in the industry agree that the NIHOTOUR Act is a far-reaching alternative that focuses on institution-building and workforce development.
“With proper implementation,” Prof. Babalola wrote, “the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 could stand as one of the most transformative legacies of Buhari’s administration — not just for the tourism sector, but for national development.”
He concluded by urging all stakeholders — public institutions, private investors, educators, and professionals — to take ownership of the Act’s vision and translate it into actionable progress. “Let us turn this Act into action. That is how we honour his legacy — not with words alone, but with bold, unified steps forward.”
As Nigeria bids farewell to a leader whose policies will shape national conversations for years to come, the NIHOTOUR Act remains a tangible and forward-looking blueprint for tourism sector revitalisation. Stakeholders say it is now up to the industry to make it work — not just in memory of Buhari, but for the sustainable future of Nigerian tourism.