Chairman of Home of Representatives Committee on Tourism, Hon. Arc. Muhammad Muktar, has assured that each one plans are on to strengthen the legal guidelines to manage tourism sector, in order to realize sustainable progress and assist make it thrive.
He gave the peace of mind on the 2026 Nationwide Hospitality and Tourism Stakeholders’ Discussion board, with theme: “Shaping the Way forward for Nigerian Tourism Collectively”.
He stated the legislative arm is there to make legal guidelines that can form the tourism business and make it a sector that can drive the financial system and enhance the GDP of the financial system.
“We have now a invoice that can make tourism and tourism associated issues unto the concurrent record. Earlier than it was on residual record and that is what offers us bottlenecks as a result of the states are in cost,” he stated.
In his remarks, the Director-Common of the Nigerian Tourism Improvement Authority (NTDA) Ola Awakan stated the discussion board was not merely a ceremonial gathering, “it’s a strategic convergence level designed to foster dialogue, strengthen alignment, and catalyze actionable outcomes for the expansion of the tourism sector.”
He stated tourism, each globally and inside our nationwide context, thrives on a tripod framework consisting of sights, hospitality, and transportation.
He stated the sights symbolize wealthy pure endowments, cultural heritage, festivals, and artistic belongings, whereas hospitality defines the standard of experiences and companies offered to guests; and that transportation ensures accessibility, connectivity, and ease of motion throughout locations.
“The effectiveness of our tourism sector is subsequently depending on how nicely these three pillars are developed, built-in, and managed.
“Nigeria is undeniably endowed with immense tourism potential. From our various ecological landscapes to our vibrant cultural expressions and globally acknowledged inventive business, we possess the belongings required to develop into a number one tourism vacation spot.
“Nevertheless, it’s also essential to acknowledge that the sector has not but attained its full potential. Challenges resembling fragmented institutional coordination, infrastructural deficits, restricted world visibility, and inconsistencies in regulatory frameworks have constrained progress.
“However these challenges, we’re at a pivotal second in our journey, supported by renewed coverage course, rising non-public sector curiosity, the “renewed hope agenda” of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR and the enabling provisions of the NTDA Act, 2022, which gives a stronger authorized and institutional basis for transformation.
“We’re strengthening the coverage and regulatory framework to make sure readability, consistency, and investor confidence, whereas additionally imposing compliance throughout the tourism ecosystem.
“On the institutional degree, we’re constructing capability to create a extra responsive, environment friendly, and result-oriented group able to driving reform and innovation. Within the space of tourism advertising, we’re repositioning Nigeria’s picture via focused campaigns, strategic partnerships, and elevated participation in world tourism platforms.
“We’re additionally emphasising analysis and growth by selling data-driven decision-making to information planning, coverage formulation, and funding methods.
“Moreover, we’re facilitating tourism funding and infrastructure growth to unlock the complete worth of our locations, whereas additionally prioritizing human useful resource growth to reinforce professionalism, expertise, and repair supply throughout the sector.
“High quality assurance stays central to our efforts, as we’re dedicated to making sure requirements via systematic inspection, certification, and steady monitoring of tourism enterprises,” he stated.