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With Okorie Uguru
The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has set up the National Committee on Industry Professional Bodies Recognition and Governance (NCIPBRG). The institute said the committee was a follow up to its recently concluded stakeholders’ conference, and that the NCIPBRG was a landmark step towards strengthening professionalism, institutional governance, and stakeholder collaboration within Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry.
The committee, headed by Professor Wasiu Babalola, was inaugurated at the Institute’s headquarters in Abuja by the Director General, Aare Abisoye Fagade. Fagade mandated the committee to develop a national framework for the recognition, collaboration, and governance of professional bodies operating within Nigeria’s hospitality, tourism, travel, and allied sectors.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Fagade described the committee as a strategic intervention designed to strengthen institutional credibility, promote ethical standards, and foster greater cooperation among professional bodies within the industry. He noted that while Nigeria is blessed with numerous professional associations serving different segments of the industry, there is an urgent need for a coherent governance framework that encourages professionalism, accountability, mutual recognition, and adherence to globally accepted standards.
“The future of every profession depends not only on the competence of its practitioners but also on the strength of the institutions that represent them. This committee has been entrusted with the responsibility of laying the foundation for a transparent, credible and nationally accepted framework that will guide the recognition and governance of professional bodies within our industry,” he stated.
The Director General explained that the committee’s assignment aligns with the statutory mandate of NIHOTOUR under the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act, 2022, particularly its responsibility to regulate standards, promote professional development, and strengthen institutional capacity within Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism ecosystem.
Within the next three months, the committee would be expected to: Develop objective criteria for the recognition of professional bodies within the industry; Recommend governance standards and accountability frameworks for recognised professional associations.* Propose ethical principles and professional practice guidelines; recommend frameworks for collaboration between professional bodies and relevant government institutions; identify areas of overlap and recommend mechanisms for improved coordination, cooperation, and specialization; promote institutional harmony while preserving the uniqueness and legitimate roles of professional organisations, and recommend strategies for strengthening professionalism, investor confidence, and international competitiveness within the sector.
Fagade emphasised that the initiative is not intended to restrict legitimate professional organizations but rather to establish clear standards that encourage excellence, transparency, and public confidence.
Responding on behalf of the committee, the Chairman, Professor Wasiu Babalola expressed appreciation to the management of NIHOTOUR for the confidence reposed in the committee and pledged the members’ commitment to delivering recommendations that will advance the collective interests of the industry.
Professor Babalola described the assignment as a national responsibility requiring collaboration, objectivity, and extensive stakeholder engagement.
