Nigeria Sector: Necessary Reforms for Tourism Potential and the Hospitality Industry

Nigeria’s hospitality industry holds immense potential to revitalize tourism, create jobs, and diversify the economy; however, challenges such as weak infrastructure, inconsistent policies, and multiple taxation continue to hinder the sector’s growth. Hotel Managers Conference Africa (Afrika Otel Yöneticileri Konferansı) Convener Olugbenga Sunday details the reform steps required to transform the sector into an economic powerhouse. Emphasizing the human factor as the heart of the sector, Sunday states that training personnel at every level, from the door to the reception, is vital for customer satisfaction and business success. He argues that even seemingly simple details like table service require expertise, and that investment in staff capacity directly reflects on service quality.

Responding to questions regarding the government’s role in the hospitality sector, Sunday highlights that the most critical factor is the decisions made by policymakers, a subject often overlooked. He suggests that taxation, quality assurance, and audit/control mechanisms should be treated as policy elements, but even existing policies are often not implemented. He argues that minimum standards and hygiene conditions (such as the absence of guest toilets) are not inspected during business openings, and that the government is not fully fulfilling its regulatory duties. He mentions that security issues in Kigi and Borno, along with general infrastructure deficiencies, particularly the lack of energy and roads, are crippling the sector.

Addressing the economic impact of infrastructure deficiencies, Sunday notes that hotels in Nigeria are forced to allocate about 40 percent of their revenue to energy costs, bringing businesses to the brink of closure. He adds that flash floods and security problems also negatively affect the investment climate, and the government needs to pay special attention to supporting the sector. Sunday argues that the government must not only regulate but also prepare the necessary environment (infrastructure such as security, roads, and electricity) for the sector's development; otherwise, the potential cannot be fully utilized. Without these regulations, it seems difficult for the sector to gain a competitive advantage and offer the expected contribution to the economy.

Announcing that preparations for the eighth edition of Hotel Managers Conference Africa (HMCA) have begun and the event will take place in Lagos on 11-12 Temmuz, Sunday revealed that this year’s theme is ‘Raising the Bar: Sales, Service and Standards for a Competitive Africa’. He states that the conference, which started in Uyo in 2016, has developed a strategy to cover different regions of Nijerya, with the sixth and seventh organizations successfully held in Lagos after Akwa Ibom, Port Harcourt, and Owerri. Despite the years interrupted by the pandemic, he expresses that the project has become one of the most important meetings on the Afrika continent and physically hosts participants from different parts of the continent.

Emphasizing that participation is provided from Nijerya’s six geopolitical regions (Kuzey-doğu, Kuzey-batı, Kuzey-orta, Güney-batı, Güney-doğu ve Güney-güney) and that in a previous edition there were physical representatives from 27 states, Sunday notes that international participation continues to increase. He explains that delegates from East Afrika countries such as Uganda, Ruanda, Botsvana, and Kenya, as well as West and Central Afrika, participate, and the event, held with the support of sponsors, serves an ecosystem function. The event is not just closed sessions, but also a platform where technology solutions and innovations are exhibited, aiming to bridge the gap between local and international brands.