The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has begun studying the institutional framework of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) as part of efforts to strengthen professionalism and accelerate reforms in Nigeria’s tourism sector.
FTAN President, Dr. Aliyu Badaki, disclosed this during a visit by tourism stakeholders to the NSE National Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
The visit, organized under FTAN’s Tourism Transformation Mandate (TTM), aims to reposition Nigeria’s tourism industry through stronger governance, improved institutions, higher professional standards, and reforms that will drive sustainable growth.
Badaki said the federation was examining the NSE’s operational structure to identify institutional practices that could help build a more coordinated, accountable and professional tourism industry.
According to him, both FTAN and the NSE serve as umbrella bodies for professional associations, making the engineering body’s governance model particularly relevant to the federation’s reform agenda.
“We are here to collaborate and learn from the Nigerian Society of Engineers because your institution has built a strong professional structure over the years. That structure continues to earn national and international recognition,” he said.
Badaki noted that adopting lessons from the NSE would help FTAN establish a stronger institutional framework that would benefit the tourism industry, investors, and the nation’s economy.
He expressed concern over overlapping responsibilities among tourism institutions, warning that duplication of roles weakens efficiency, accountability and effective coordination across the sector.
He stressed that clearly defined responsibilities for regulators, professional bodies and operators are essential to improving service delivery, reducing institutional conflicts and creating a more predictable operating environment for stakeholders.
Responding, NSE President, Mr. Ali Rabiu, commended FTAN for seeking to learn from an established professional institution.
Rabiu said the NSE, founded in 1958, had earned national and international respect through sound governance, collaboration and sustained professional development.
He noted that engineering and tourism are closely linked, as engineers provide the infrastructure that supports transportation, hospitality, recreation and destination development.
“Engineering and tourism remain closely connected because engineers design transportation systems, resorts and other infrastructure supporting tourism development,” he said.
Rabiu explained that separating regulatory and professional responsibilities had strengthened engineering practice in Nigeria, with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) handling regulation while the NSE focuses on advocacy and professional development.
He assured FTAN of the society’s readiness to share its institutional experience and collaborate in building stronger tourism institutions capable of supporting Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
Also speaking, the NSE Director of Professional Development, Mr. Babatunde Odunlami, underscored the importance of sustained collaboration among professional bodies, saying partnerships promote best practices, strengthen institutions and enhance professional capacity for long-term national development.
FTAN First Deputy President, Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, thanked the NSE leadership for hosting the delegation and reaffirmed the federation’s commitment to strategic partnerships that would accelerate reforms and strengthen tourism development nationwide.
The visit ended with the exchange of commemorative gifts between the presidents of FTAN and the NSE, symbolizing both organizations’ commitment to deeper institutional collaboration and the transformation of Nigeria’s tourism sector.
SOURCE: NAN
