The Federal Government has urged hotel owners and managers nationwide to prevent their facilities from being used for illegal activities as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, gave the charge in his keynote address at the JAGZ Hospitality Conference 2026, held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Represented by the Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Justice Sector Reform and ICT/Digital and Innovative Technology, Fernandez Marcus-Obiene, Fagbemi said the hospitality sector was crucial to ensuring peaceful elections through the provision of accurate data on lodgers.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, “The Hotel at the Centre: Money, Elections, Security,” Fagbemi urged hotel managers to provide security agencies with necessary information about customers or groups using their facilities.

He also stressed the need for stronger cooperation, professionalism, regulatory compliance and political neutrality as the 2027 polls approach.

The convener and Group Managing Director of Charis Ultimo Hotels Limited, Lugard Agbomoagan, said the hospitality sector had evolved beyond lodging to become linked with international tourism, foreign investment, cross-border transactions and regional business.

“Our central question is simple: When money, politics, security and cross-border business enter the hotel, who guides the hotelier? We are not here to portray hotels as places of danger or suspicion. We are here because responsible hospitality requires preparedness, professionalism and compliance,” Agbomoagan said.

He said hoteliers must understand how to protect guests and employees, meet their financial and regulatory responsibilities, and respond appropriately when security concerns arise.

“In an increasingly connected world, hotel operators must also understand the legal and operational realities that arise when guests, businesses, payments and transactions cross borders,” he said.

Agbomoagan said hotels would inevitably host politicians, campaign teams, journalists, business leaders and security personnel as the 2027 electoral cycle approaches, making preparedness essential.

“As we approach the 2027 electoral cycle, this conversation becomes even more relevant. So we must ask ourselves now: Are our hotels prepared? This is why we have deliberately brought together people who see these issues from different perspectives,” he said.

On security at The JAGZ, he said the hotel had a Surveillance Unit that monitored the facility round-the-clock using CCTV.

“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.

He said the objective of the conference was to draw on the perspectives of the police, anti-money laundering authorities and hospitality managers to develop practical solutions to emerging challenges.

The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, who represented the Oyo State Government, said the expansion of the hospitality sector reflected the economic transformation under the Seyi Makinde-led administration.

According to him, available data showed that the number of hotels in the state had increased from slightly above 1,000 at the inception of the administration to more than 12,000.

However, he expressed concern over inadequate cooperation from some hoteliers in providing the data required for planning and expanding the tax base. He urged stronger partnerships with the government.

The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Abimbola Olugbenga, warned hoteliers against allowing their facilities to be used as political houses or venues for partisan activities.

Olugbenga said hotels would likely experience increased patronage from politicians, campaign organisations and journalists during the electioneering season, making effective security arrangements and political neutrality necessary.

Speaking on financial crimes, the Zonal Coordinator, Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan, Toyin Ehindero-Benson, urged operators to strengthen compliance systems and conduct proper due diligence on customers.

She advised hotels to minimise cash transactions, guard against questionable third-party payments, and ensure that payments were consistent with guests’ known profiles and business activities.

She disclosed that the EFCC was working closely with compliance officers to improve communication and information sharing. She also advised that high-value transactions should be conducted through the banking system, while transactions above reporting thresholds should be scrutinised and documented.

The panel discussions also focused on destination hospitality in tourism development, the safety of guests and employees, and stronger cooperation between the private sector and security and regulatory agencies.

Also in attendance were the General Manager of The JAGZ Hotel, Ibadan, Jonathan Odia, management staff, government officials and other hospitality professionals.