COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA

COVID-19 pandemicwhich shocked the World originated from Wuham,China in late 2019 and spread to other countries of the World. According to World Health Organization, (WHO) over 200 countries were affected and more than 5,000,000 (Five million people)died from COVID-19 pandemic.Nigeria, was not spared the impact of the pandemic as a traveller from Italy visited Nigeria and brought the infection intothe country.In the wake of the pandemic’s spread in Nigeria, the Federal Government of Nigeria mandated a general lock-down which included the closure of airports, bothLocal and International Airports. Events were cancelled or postponed. Attractions and Entertainmentssuch as Sport Activities were postponed for extended periods of time.Also, the Hotel Industry, Restaurants and Markets were forced to lock-down from the reach of the public. Individuals were forced to stay home.Many employees were laid off from work. The general lock-down was later relaxed to restrictions onTravels and Airports.Hospitality Industry was largely impacted by the lock-downs and restrictions. Howdid the Hospitality Industry face the challenges of the pandemic andhas the industry bounced back?This Paper seeks to answer that question.