The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to develop a globally competitive and data-driven hospitality, travel, and tourism industry.

This partnership is a crucial step toward transforming Nigeria’s tourism landscape by enhancing research, strengthening sector intelligence, and facilitating more informed policy decisions.

With improved access to reliable data, government agencies, investors, professionals, and industry stakeholders will be better equipped to identify opportunities, monitor growth, and strategically expand the tourism sector’s contribution to national development.

The hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors are growing increasingly important as vital channels for job creation, enterprise development, and cultural promotion in Nigeria.

However, the lack of unified and reliable data has long hindered the country’s ability to realise this potential fully.

The MOU will help to strengthen data collection and analysis across areas, including accommodation, transportation, events, recreation, culinary tourism, destination activities, and workforce trends.

It will also build joint research outputs that will serve as the official reference point for policymakers, investors, and development partners, implementing capacity-building initiatives that enhance the national understanding of industry standards, measurement frameworks, and global best practices. And finally, help in developing a shared tourism intelligence system that improves planning, forecasting, and regulatory enhancements.

According to the Director General of NIHOTOUR, Bisiye Fagade, who saw the partnership as a turning point for the sector said, “Reliable data is the backbone of meaningful progress.

“With this MOU, we are paving the way for smarter investments, better training, and a more globally competitive tourism industry.

“This MOU aligns with national efforts to reposition tourism as a major source of non-oil revenue, strengthen professional training, and enhance Nigeria’s global brand appeal.

“It also complements ongoing initiatives to support personnel and practitioners across the hospitality, travel, and tourism value chain.”

In his remarks, the Statistical General /CEO of NBS. Prince Semiu Adeyemi Adeniran “NBS is committed to supporting sectors that hold great promise for Nigeria’s economic future.”

“This collaboration ensures that the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors will now benefit from the same level of statistical rigour applied to other critical industries.”

With this new partnership, NIHOTOUR and NBS will track trends, visitor flows, spending patterns, and workforce movements during this season to better understand and maximise its economic benefits.

This initiative will help operators, destination managers, and state governments improve planning, pricing, crowd management, and service delivery during high-traffic periods.

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