By Charles Ajunwa
President of Hotels Owners and Managers Association of Lagos (HOMAL), Chief Samuel Alabi, has described the current judgement by a Lagos High Court that granted all of the reliefs sought by the affiliation in opposition to the harassment of National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR’s), as a superb improvement for lodge operators.
Alabi, who disclosed this throughout a press convention in Lagos, alleged that after many unsuccessful makes an attempt to cease NIHOTOUR’s harassment the affiliation had no different possibility than to file motion on the Federal High Court in Suit No:FHC/L/CS/906/2025 in May, 2026 the place it claimed many remedial reliefs.
He mentioned, “whereas among the powers bestowed on NIHOTOUR are validly needed for its operation as a coaching company of federal authorities, however we thought of all these elements coping with certification and registration of all workers, grading of personnel and high quality of companies rendered by hospitality, journey and tourism in Nigeria as invalid and extremely vires the structure.
“Hence, in 2022, we drew the attention of those at the helm of affairs of NIHOTOUR then to avert plunging NIHOTOUR into a long drawn legal battle by refraining from those contentious and empire seeking sections.”
He additional mentioned, “On assumption of workplace of the present Director General of NIHOTOUR in late 2024, he launched into ambitions implementation of sections of the NIHOTOUR Act saved in abeyance by his predecessor in workplace. He began by inviting Chief Executive of our affiliation members to his workplace in Abuja with lower than 48 hours discover. Due to the late notices served, none of our members’ representatives may attend the assembly. This motion was later adopted by one other letter issued in March, 2025 demanding the quick registration of our members’ Chief Executives and their Heads of Department.
“Based on correct authorized recommendation, our affiliation wrote a letter dated tenth March, 2026 to NIHOTOUR objecting to the demand made on our members’ enterprise and their principal officers. NIHOTOUR ignored this letter and strengthened their enforcement equipment with their DG’s visits to Nigerian Immigration Service and the then Deputy Inspector General of Police with a view to securing their help to compel our members’ compliance.
“In view of non-cessation of harassment by NIHOTOUR we had no possibility left than to file motion on the Federal High Court in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/906/2025 in May, 2026 claiming many remedial reliefs.
“Notwithstanding this court action, NIHOTOUR continued its violent enforcement of the law. Many of our members’ premises were invaded and closed, their businesses were only re-opened after payment of N2.5 million to company called “NIHOTOUR Training, Research and Consultancy”.
“On one of their outings, a staff of a member was injured with one of the eyes blinded. It took the court’s appropriate order to put a stop to the advance rampaging enforcement machinery of NIHOTOUR.”
