FG TO NIHOTOUR: STOP THE HOTEL RAIDS, RESET YOUR STRATEGY
Minister suspends enforcement after backlash over Mushin operation
ABUJA — The Federal Government has suspended NIHOTOUR’s ongoing enforcement drive across Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism sector, following intense backlash over the controversial hotel raids in Lagos.
Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, made the announcement Friday in Abuja, saying the move is aimed at ensuring dialogue, transparency, and stakeholder engagement.
> “Compliance must not come at the expense of dignity. Our approach must reflect shared humanity,” the Minister said.
The suspension comes days after NIHOTOUR enforcement teams, reportedly escorted by armed police, raided several hotels in Lagos, arrested workers, and transported them to the institute’s zonal campus in Mushin — an action widely criticized as heavy-handed and unconstitutional.
FTAN President, Mr. Nkereuwem Onung, in a petition dated June 16, called the raids a breach of trust and misinterpretation of NIHOTOUR’s mandate.
The Minister reaffirmed NIHOTOUR’s legal authority under its 2022 Act but ordered a pause on all enforcement while a multi-stakeholder roundtable is convened.
> “The Ministry is committed to dialogue, innovation, and shared prosperity,” Musawa stated.
NIHOTOUR DG Abisoye Fagade had earlier defended the enforcement citing the new Act, but critics argue that the mandate is unclear and poorly communicated, especially concerning registration protocols and professional certification.