The Federal Government has issued a strong warning to hotel owners across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections, cautioning them against allowing their facilities to be used for activities that could undermine the electoral process.
The government warned that any hotel found to be complicit in election-related offences would face sanctions.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi issued the warning at the JAGZ Hospitality Conference in Ibadan, Oyo State, telling operators to tighten security, maintain accurate guest records and cooperate more closely with law-enforcement agencies.
He was represented at the event by Fernandez Marcus-Obiene, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Justice-sector Reform and Digital Innovation.
The message reflects growing official concern that hotels—often used by politicians, campaign teams, journalists and business executives—could be exploited for illicit finance, partisan activity or security breaches during a contentious election cycle.
Fagbemi said hotels have a central role in preserving security during the electoral period, particularly through reliable guest data and effective information management.
He urged operators to remain professionally neutral and to work with regulators and security agencies rather than treating compliance as an afterthought.
The conference, themed “The Hotel at the Centre: Money, Elections, Security,” gathered government officials, security personnel, regulators and hospitality executives to examine the industry’s legal and operational exposure as political activity increases.
Similarly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already begun final preparations for the 2027 vote, including testing election technology and strengthening security arrangements through an interagency election-security committee.
Lugard Agbomoagan, Group Managing Director of Charis Ultimo Hotels and the conference’s convener, said the industry has outgrown its traditional role of providing rooms and food.
Hotels now sit at the intersection of tourism, foreign investment, cross-border payments and regional business, he said.
“When money, politics, security and cross-border business enter the hotel, who guides the hotelier?” . Agbomoagan asked.
“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 added.
He said operators should review security arrangements before the election season begins, rather than responding after incidents occur.
Hotels, he added, must be prepared to host political figures, campaign organizations, media organizations and security personnel while protecting guests, employees and their own regulatory standing.
At The JAGZ Hotel, Agbomoagan said the company has moved beyond passive camera coverage.
He said the property operates a dedicated Surveillance Unit, where staff continuously monitor closed-circuit television feeds to identify unusual behavior and respond quickly to incidents.
“We do not just have CCTV cameras at The JAGZ Hotel,” he said.
“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”, Agbomoagan stated.
For the hotel industry, the government’s warning signals a broader shift: as the 2027 election approaches, security compliance and political neutrality may become as important to operators as occupancy rates and room rates.
