Developing a Theoretical Framework for Sustainable Tourism Governance in Nigeria: A Multi-Stakeholder Institutional Analysis

This study develops an original theoretical framework for sustainable tourism governance in Nigeria, drawing on institutional theory, multi-stakeholder management theory, and adaptive governance perspectives. Existing tourism governance models originate predominantly from developed country contexts and are insufficiently attentive to the institutional fragilities, multi-level regulatory overlaps, and informality that characterise governance environments in sub-Saharan African states. A qualitative constructivist research paradigm is adopted with data generated through 42 elite interviews with federal and state tourism regulators, private sector associations, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, and international development partners. Document analysis of tourism policy frameworks at federal and state levels spanning 2015 to 2024 is also conducted. Framework development follows a grounded theory approach, with iterative analytical cycles used to identify substantive and formal theoretical categories from the data. The emergent framework proposes four governance dimensions, namely institutional legitimacy, stakeholder alignment, adaptive capacity, and accountability infrastructure, as the core determinants of sustainable tourism governance effectiveness in the Nigerian context. Relational tension between federal mandates and state autonomy is identified as the most persistent governance challenge. The framework is validated through expert panel review with eight senior tourism policy practitioners. Theoretical contributions include a contextually grounded governance typology for Nigerian tourism, a novel stakeholder alignment index, and a set of propositions linking governance quality to destination sustainability outcomes. Policy implications for the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and the Ministry of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy are presented. Keywords: sustainable tourism governance, institutional theory, multi-stakeholder, Nigeria, adaptive governance