NIHOTOUR, NIMC strengthen institutional partnership to advance tourism

The Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), have emphasized the need for partnership to strengthening national identity systems within the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors.

This was major discussion of the NIHOTOUR Director General, Aare Bisoye Fagade, who led management team on a courtesy visit to the Director General of NIMC, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, at the NIMC headquarters, Abuja.

The proposed partnership seeks to integrate NIMC’s robust national identity database, comprising registered persons under the NIMC Act, into NIHOTOUR’s certification and registration processes for qualified practitioners across the sector as mandated by the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act.

According to statement released revealing that this alignment is expected to enhance the credibility, traceability and professionalization of the tourism and hospitality workforce, while contributing to national security, service excellence, and data driven sectoral development.
Engr. Coker-Odusote who reaffirmed the Commission commitment to supporting institutions whose mandates rely on accurate identity verification, stressed that interoperability and secure data exchange crucial for modern governance and economic advancement.

She welcomed NIHOTOUR’s initiative and expressed optimism about the positive impact such collaboration would have on national development.
Are Abisoye Fagade also equally noted that the partnership would not only strengthen NIHOTOUR’s institutional processes but elevate standards across Nigerias growing hospitality and tourism landscape.

Both agencies agreed to constitute a joint technical working group to develop a framework for implementation, paving the way for a more secure, integrated, and professional sector.