THE REGULATION OF HALAL TOURISM UNDER ISLAMIC LAW

A COMPARATIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS OF NIGERIA AND UGANDA

Abstract

Originating in Islamic commercial jurisprudence (fiqh al-muʿāmalāt), halal tourism has grown to be a substantial part of international travel, encouraging moral behaviour, social responsibility, and lawful consumption in the travel and hotel industries. The administrative and regulatory framework for halal travel is still inadequate in a number of African countries, despite its increasing significance on a worldwide scale. Thus, this study intends to investigate and compare the legal frameworks governing halal travel in Nigeria and Uganda, with particular emphasis on whether the Tourism Act (UTA) 2008 in Uganda and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) Act 2022 appropriately acknowledge and regulate faith-based travel. The paper examines the laws, regulations, and policy tools of both nations using a comparative doctrinal research methodology. It also draws comparisons between Malaysia and the norms of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The results show notable deficiencies in certification procedures, legal recognition, and interagency collaboration, all of which work against the organized growth of halal-compliant travel. The sector's economic potential is undermined, and investor trust is restricted by the lack of standardized certification procedures and clear regulatory norms. Halal tourism is an ethical, consumer-focused regulatory innovation that is compatible with international development frameworks and constitutional secularism, according to the study's findings. In order to align the growth of halal tourism with the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa's Agenda 2063, it suggests establishing clear halal tourism standards, enhancing cooperation between tourism authorities and Islamic certification bodies, integrating Islamic finance instruments, and implementing specific policy changes.