Tourism stakeholders seek hybrid governance model for NIHOTOUR workforce reforms

 

By Maureen Aguta

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality industry have advocated the adoption of a Hybrid Professional Governance Framework that combines statutory regulation with professional recognition as a sustainable pathway for strengthening the sector’s workforce and enhancing global competitiveness.

The proposal emerged at the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Stakeholder Engagement Forum held in Abuja on Wednesday, where leading academics, regulators, professional bodies and industry practitioners examined strategies for addressing longstanding challenges in workforce development, certification and professional standards within the industry.

Director-General of NIHOTOUR, Aare Abisoye Fagade, in his welcome address, underscored the need for stronger collaboration among regulators, academia and the private sector, stressing that building a globally competitive tourism workforce requires institutional partnerships rather than isolated interventions.

The centrepiece of the forum was a keynote presentation by Professor Wasiu Babalola, Professor of Hotel Management and Tourism at Atiba University, Oyo, legal practitioner and PhD candidate at the Faculty of Law, Lead City University, Ibadan.

Speaking on the theme, “Strategic Roles of Industry Associations and Professional Bodies in Workforce Registration, Certification, Licensing and Sustainable Human Capital Development,” Babalola argued that while the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 represents a significant milestone in the professionalisation of Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality sector, legislation alone cannot guarantee professional stability.

He noted that sustainable development of the industry requires a collaborative framework that clearly delineates the roles of statutory regulators and recognised professional bodies.

According to him, Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality ecosystem continues to grapple with fragmented regulation, overlapping institutional responsibilities, inconsistent certification standards, weak professional identity and inadequate workforce data.

“These challenges require a collaborative rather than a competitive governance approach,” he said.

Drawing lessons from globally established professions such as law, medicine, engineering, architecture and accounting, Babalola observed that mature professions thrive where government regulators establish minimum standards while professional bodies focus on competence development, ethics, continuing professional education and peer recognition.

He proposed the adoption of a Hybrid Professional Governance structure under the Professional Recognition by Professional Practice (PRPP) framework, which seeks to institutionalise collaboration between NIHOTOUR and credible professional bodies.

Under the model, recognised professional bodies would be empowered to undertake continuing professional development, ethical oversight, practitioner engagement and specialised competence development, while NIHOTOUR would retain responsibility for statutory regulation, certification, licensing, standards and maintenance of the national tourism workforce register.

The roadmap for implementation includes formal recognition of credible professional bodies through the PRPP framework, delineation of professional practice areas across the tourism and hospitality value chain, development of Standard Operating Procedures and Manuals of Operations, competency-based certification under NIHOTOUR, mandatory continuing professional development programmes and stronger collaboration among government, academia and industry stakeholders.

Babalola further argued that Section 4 of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 already provides sufficient legal backing for such collaboration in areas of training, certification, capacity development and other statutory responsibilities, thereby supporting a partnership model rather than institutional rivalry.

Stakeholders at the forum welcomed the proposal, describing it as a practical framework capable of eliminating duplication of functions, strengthening institutional cooperation and improving workforce quality across the sector. They also urged NIHOTOUR to sustain consultations with stakeholders to refine and build broad-based consensus around the framework.

In his concluding remarks, Babalola said, “Professionalisation is strongest when statutory authority and professional recognition work together, not in competition, but in partnership.”
He also acknowledged the academic support provided by the Faculty of Law, Lead City University, Ibadan, noting that presenting doctoral research before national and international audiences reflects the institution’s commitment to research excellence and bridging the gap between academia and industry.

Industry observers believe the proposed framework, if adopted, could mark a significant step towards creating a more coherent, globally competitive and professionally regulated tourism and hospitality workforce for Nigeria.

Tourism Stakeholders Seek Hybrid Governance Model for NIHOTOUR Workforce Reforms