FG urges hotel operators to maintain neutrality, professionalism ahead of 2027

The Federal Government has called for stronger collaboration, professionalism, regulatory compliance and political neutrality among hotel operators as Nigeria approaches the 2027 electoral cycle.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, made this known in his keynote address at the second edition of the JAGZ Hospitality Conference, with the theme, “The Hotel at the Centre: Money, Elections, Security”, in Ibadan.

Fagbemi, who spoke through the Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Justice Sector Reform and ICT/Digital and Innovative Technology, Fernandez Marcus-Obiene, said the sector played a vital role in ensuring peace and security during and after elections through the provision of accurate data on lodgers.

Fagbemi said hotel management should also assist relevant security agencies by providing necessary information about people or groups of persons using their facilities.

According to him, hotel management nationwide must guard against their facilities being used for unlawful activities.

JAGZ Conference 2: Industry leaders, stakeholders chart new course for hospitality business in Nigeria

The conference convener and Group Managing Director of Charis Ultimo Hotels Limited, Lugard Agbomoagan, said the hospitality industry had evolved beyond providing accommodation to becoming a major meeting point for business transactions, investments, tourism, politics and cross-border activities.

Agbomoagan said the conference made it imperative for hotel operators to understand their legal, financial, security and regulatory responsibilities, particularly as hotels would inevitably host politicians, campaign teams, journalists, business executives and large gatherings during the 2027 electoral cycle.

He said, “The JAGZ is no longer simply a place where people sleep. It is where businesses meet, investments are discussed, conferences are held, celebrations take place, politicians engage with stakeholders, tourists arrive, international visitors stay, and significant commercial transactions occur.”

According to him, responsible hospitality required preparedness, professionalism and compliance, adding that hotel operators must be able to protect guests and employees, understand their financial and regulatory obligations, and respond appropriately to security concerns.

He said the conference was designed to bring together the perspectives of the police, anti-money laundering authorities, hotel operators and destination hospitality managers to develop practical solutions to emerging challenges in the industry.

Speaking with journalists after the event, Agbomoagan said the JAGZ had deliberately positioned itself as a platform for investment, tourism, business and cross-border transactions.

He said the hotel had put measures in place to prevent its facilities from being used for illicit financial transactions or electoral offences, adding that its employees were regularly trained on regulatory and security requirements.

“We are well-informed and well-prepared. We know that all our staff members understand what to do at every point in time. I can tell you authoritatively that the JAGZ cannot be used for any illicit transactions. The JAGZ cannot be used for any electoral offences or vices,” he said.

Agbomoagan disclosed that the hotel had an in-house legal practitioner to ensure compliance with anti-money laundering regulations and other regulatory directives.

He added that the hotel had maintained partnerships with security agencies since its establishment, including the police, defence authorities and other security institutions.

According to him, the hotel operates a dedicated Surveillance Unit that monitors its closed-circuit television cameras and responds not only to security threats but also to emergencies involving guests.

“We do not just have CCTV cameras at The JAGZ Hotel. We have a department called the Surveillance Unit, where personnel monitor the CCTV feeds and observe what is going on around the hotel every single second,” he said.

Agbomoagan said the objective was not to portray hotels as places of danger or suspicion but to equip operators with the knowledge and systems required to manage the complex responsibilities that come with running modern hospitality businesses.

He said the success of the conference would ultimately be measured by the ability of participants to improve security, strengthen regulatory compliance, protect guests, cooperate appropriately with authorities, and manage domestic and cross-border business relationships.

“The JAGZ is more than a hotel. It is a platform. A platform where industry meets government and business meets policy. The JAGZ is where hospitality meets responsibility,” he said.

In his remarks during the panel discussion, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, who represented the Oyo State Government at the event, said the expansion of the hospitality sector reflected the economic transformation witnessed in the state under Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration.

He said available data showed that the number of hotels in the state had risen from slightly above 1,000 when the administration assumed office to more than 12,000.

He, however, expressed concern over what he described as inadequate cooperation from some hotel operators with the state government in providing data required for effective planning and expansion of the state’s tax base.

He urged operators to strengthen their partnership with government, stressing that accurate data remained important to economic planning, security and development.

Also speaking, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, highlighted security vulnerabilities associated with hotels and their guests during political and electioneering periods.

Olugbenga urged hotel operators to maintain a high level of professionalism and political neutrality, stressing that hospitality facilities should not give preferential treatment to any political party.

He said hotels would likely witness increased patronage by politicians, campaign organisations, journalists and other stakeholders during the electoral season, making effective security arrangements and impartiality essential.

He also called for political neutrality among hotel operators, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He warned against allowing hotels to become political houses or venues for partisan activities that could undermine their businesses, urging stakeholders to work together to preserve the neutrality and integrity of hospitality facilities.

On financial crimes and money laundering, the Zonal Coordinator, Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML), EFCC, Ibadan, Toyin Ehindero-Benson, urged hotel operators to strengthen their compliance systems and carry out proper due diligence on customers.

She said the primary responsibility of the anti-graft agency was to prevent fraudulent activities and money laundering, urging hotels to minimise cash transactions and guard against questionable third-party payments.

Ehindero-Benson said hotel operators should ensure that payments made by guests were consistent with their known profiles and business activities.

She added that the EFCC had deepened collaboration with stakeholders and was working closely with compliance officers to improve communication and information sharing aimed at preventing fraudulent activities.

She further advised hotels to ensure that high-value transactions were conducted through the banking system, noting that transactions above the applicable reporting thresholds should be subjected to appropriate scrutiny and documentation.

The conference also featured panel discussions on the role of destination hospitality in tourism development, the responsibilities of hotel operators in safeguarding guests and employees, and the need for stronger cooperation between the private sector and security and regulatory agencies.

The General Manager of Glocient Hospitality, managers of Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, Ikogosi-Ekiti, Mr Lanre Balogun, and the General Manager of JAGZ Hotel, Ibadan, Mr Jonathan Odia, were among the hospitality industry professionals associated with the conference.