Nigeria’s renowned cultural tourism administrator, Otunba Segun Runsewe, has endorsed the recent inauguration of the national registration and certification exercise for cultural tourism, hospitality, and travel professionals by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).
Runsewe, who was conferred with the Fellowship Award of the institute alongside other prominent industry stakeholders during an event held last Thursday in Abuja, described the initiative as a timely step towards repositioning Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality sector in line with global best practices.
According to him, Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind in the drive to properly profile operators, practitioners, and investors within the tourism and hospitality value chain.
“I have carefully followed the arguments surrounding the NIHOTOUR Regulatory Act. Such reactions are normal whenever policy reforms are introduced. However, Nigeria, as a major market in Africa, must come to terms with the realities of security risk assessment within a critical sector like culture, tourism, hospitality, and travel,” he said.
He noted that the registration and certification initiative would help close existing gaps in the industry by ensuring that operators and stakeholders are adequately captured through a reliable database system.
Runsewe further stated that proper data capturing and regulation would enhance professionalism, strengthen standards, and improve accountability across the sector.
The former Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), whose tenures are widely regarded as defining periods in Nigeria’s cultural tourism development, also commended Abisoye Fagade for his leadership at NIHOTOUR.
He expressed confidence that the current administration under Bola Ahmed Tinubu is determined to drive economic reforms in which the cultural tourism and hospitality sector must play a strategic role.
“Nigeria is fortunate to have Abisoye Fagade at the helm of affairs at NIHOTOUR at a time when the Federal Government is committed to deepening economic reforms. The culture, tourism, and hospitality industry must remain central to the implementation of these reforms,” he stated.
Runsewe also urged stakeholders across the tourism and hospitality industry to support both the NIHOTOUR leadership and government reforms aimed at sanitising the sector.
“I must salute the courage of Abisoye Fagade and call on all operators within the industry to support him and the government. We cannot continue to ignore ethical standards. The sector must embrace professionalism and rid itself of quacks. We must begin to answer the questions of the future now,” he added.