Nigeria’s tourism industry is back in controversy as the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, revealed plans to revisit the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) Act 2022 and the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Act 2022.
At a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, Musawa said the laws would be critically reviewed and, if necessary, returned to the National Assembly for amendment.
Citing duplication in the Act, the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) stated that new levies, and regulatory overlaps could cripple growth of the industry. FTAN President, Dr. Aliyu Badaki, said NTDA’s commercial activities inserted in it, is a direct competition with operators, while NIHOTOUR’s role as both trainer and regulator was “an aberration.”
The stakeholders in the industry also decried multiple taxation and contradictions with a Supreme Court ruling on federal-state control of tourism. While Government officials admitted overlaps and proposed clearer role definitions and reduced fees. Musawa assured that the review will strike a balance between regulation and growth.
