The Nigeria Hotel Association (NHA) has issued a sharp nationwide alert: hotels found harbouring criminals, including internet fraudsters commonly known as “Yahoo Yahoo” boys, risk severe sanctions, including outright shutdown.
NHA National President Patrick Anyanwu delivered the warning on Thursday during a strategic two-day meeting of the association’s national executives and state chairmen from all six geopolitical zones held in Owerri.
“Any hotelier caught harbouring criminals or ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ boys will have themselves to blame,” Anyanwu declared. “The association believes in a standard operating system that adheres strictly to the dictates of the industry.”
He emphasised that unregistered hotels have become breeding grounds for criminal activity, tarnishing the reputation of legitimate operators and fuelling national insecurity. “In the near future, hotels that refuse to register with the NHA will face penalties and may risk being shut down as part of efforts to sanitise the industry,” he stated. “We cannot continue to allow any hotel that is not registered to operate and damage the reputation of our association.”
The directive forms part of a wider push to enforce registration at state and national levels, restore order in the hospitality sector, and shield its image. The NHA described the industry as one of Nigeria’s most important drivers of economic growth, a major employer, and a key contributor to tourism and national development.
Anyanwu commended the Imo State and Federal Governments for their support of tourism while urging greater collaboration, including grants and relief from multiple taxation and agency harassment.
The NHA’s firm stance signals zero tolerance for any facility that aids criminal elements, reinforcing its commitment to professionalism, security, and the long-term integrity of Nigeria’s hospitality sector.
