The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) said it has seen recent press reports, including a front-page account in a certain ‘The Matrix’ newspaper, describing last week’s Federal High Court judgment in the HOMAL suit as ending the Institute’s “harassment” of hotel owners in Lagos.

NIHOTOUR says it rejects such characterization. According to the institute, the judgment addressed a dispute over regulatory jurisdiction within Lagos State. It did not establish, and NIHOTOUR does not accept, that fees collected from HOMAL members were “extorted” or paid “under duress.” It said the Institute collected those fees under the NIHOTOUR Establishment Act, 2022, as part of its statutory mandate to register, certify, and set standards for the hospitality and tourism workforce nationwide.

NIHOTOUR confirmed it was obtaining the certified judgment and, on legal advice, proceeding to challenge the ruling. The matter is therefore still active, and the Institute considers it premature for any party to present the judgment as final or settled.

NIHOTOUR says its mandate exists to protect the same workers, guests and businesses that hotel owners serve every day. A skilled, certified workforce benefits hotel operators as much as it benefits the wider industry. Adding that the institute will not enter a public contest over labels; its focus remains on the legal process and the professional standards the sector needs.