NIHOTOUR, NIMC Explore Avenues For Deeper Collaboration

The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) are exploring avenues for deeper collaboration.

The intention was announced on Friday during a visit by the Director General of NIHOTOUR, Aare Bisoye Fagade, to the Director General/CEO of NIMC, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, at the NIMC headquarters in Abuja.

Fagade was accompanied by members of his management team as the two agencies explored avenues for deeper collaboration.

In their discussions, the leadership of NIHOTOUR and NIMC emphasised the need for a strong institutional partnership to advance their respective mandates, particularly in strengthening national identity systems within the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors.

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.

This alignment is expected to enhance the credibility, traceability, and professionalisation of the tourism and hospitality workforce, while also contributing to national security, service excellence, and data-driven sectoral development.

Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote reaffirmed NIMC’s commitment to supporting institutions whose mandates rely on accurate identity verification, stressing that interoperability and secure data exchange are 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.

Fagade also noted that the partnership would strengthen NIHOTOUR’s institutional processes and elevate standards across Nigeria’s 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.