At the 49th Annual General Meeting of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), legal expert and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor ’Kemi Pinheiro, OFR, delivered a powerful address calling for sweeping legal reforms to reposition the association as a globally respected institution.

Speaking to a diverse audience of industry stakeholders, Pinheiro emphasized the urgent need for NANTA to adopt a stronger constitution and pursue charter status. According to him, the association’s current legal framework—registered under Part F of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 as an Incorporated Trustee—falls short of the requirements needed to establish professional authority and regulatory credibility in Nigeria’s travel and tourism sector.

“We must build a Legally Grounded, Ethically Driven, and Globally Respected Association,” Pinheiro declared, urging members to see constitutional reform not as a formality, but as the foundation for sustainable growth.

Using the analogy of an airport terminal, he described the role of a constitution as pivotal to organizational flow and clarity. “When done right, everything flows smoothly… but when done poorly, confusion reigns,” he said.

Pinheiro highlighted specific loopholes in the current draft constitution. These included unclear provisions about voting rights for corporate members, the undefined status of probationary or associate members, and the absence of clear procedures concerning dormant membership and reactivation. He also pointed out the constitution’s failure to align with statutory rules on trustee disqualification, notably the exclusion of minors, as outlined in Section 826 of CAMA.

Quoting legal authorities such as Sebastine T. Hon, SAN, and drawing on relevant court rulings like Mohammed v. Sokoto (2021), Pinheiro reinforced the idea that a constitution is more than a document—it is the core legal instrument that confers legitimacy and governs ethical conduct.

He compared NANTA’s framework with other global and national professional bodies like the Nigerian Bar Association and the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), emphasizing their codified standards of ethics, participatory governance, and institutional strength.

“Good governance is the oxygen that sustains any thriving association,” Pinheiro remarked, urging the association to bridge the gap between leadership and regulation through a legally sound constitution.

Referencing thought leaders such as Mark Goyder and Rohini Nilekani, he called on members to play an active role in reshaping NANTA’s legal foundation. “We cannot be mere consumers of good governance; we must be participants; we must be co-creators,” he stressed.

Pinheiro concluded with a charge to members: “No association can rise above the unity, vision, and commitment of its membership. If NANTA is to become a global force, it must first be built on a constitution that commands respect, enforces ethics, and withstands the test of time.”