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By Merit Ibe
Industry leaders have expressed optimism that Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism sector could become a major driver of sustainable job creation, increased investment, and national economic diversification. With its vast cultural heritage, stakeholders believe that with the right policies, infrastructure, and strategic investment, the sector can transform into one of the country’s most dynamic growth engines.
They made their views at the sixth edition of Hotel Expo Nigeria (HEN) 2025 held in Lagos, recently , which brought together leading voices in hospitality, tourism, and investment to chart a new course for the industry.
The event, regarded as West Africa’s premier exhibition and networking platform for the hospitality sector, provided a springboard for stakeholders.
Themed: “Connect, Strategise and Invest,” the expo hosted developers, investors, architects, operators, suppliers, and policymakers who shared insights on how to reposition Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry for global competitiveness. Over 65 exhibitors and more than 1,000 participants attended, engaging in masterclasses and conferences led by international experts.
In his remarks, Convener and founder of HEN, Jonathan Hanson, said the vision behind the expo is to foster collaboration across the value chain rather than competition. Since its inception in 2019, he noted, that HEN has grown into a hub for knowledge-sharing, networking, and business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) partnerships.
Hanson stressed the importance of government involvement, highlighting that while HEN has received endorsements, concrete partnerships were still lacking. He explained that hospitality is one of the largest employers of labour and, if properly supported, could drive employment, attract foreign direct investment, and significantly boost Nigeria’s economy.
Hanson also identified technology as a game changer, pointing out that hotel portals, digital booking systems, and integrated payment solutions are increasingly driving operations, making service delivery more efficient. He added that the Nigerian hospitality sector must continue to embrace technological solutions to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving global industry.
Cofounder, Michael Yanai, noted that this year’s event was dedicated to bridging the gap between policy and practice, encouraging stakeholders to explore new opportunities and forge meaningful partnerships.
“We believe that by coming together, sharing insights and strategising for the future, we can build a more resilient and thriving industry.”
A panel speaker at the expo and founder of GateHub, Vera Ohioma, applauded HEN’s consistency in addressing industry challenges. She emphasised the need for collaboration before competition, noting that partnerships within the industry would ensure profitability and customer satisfaction. “In hospitality, we are dealing with an experienced economy. “It is not just about products but about creating memorable services for guests.”
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Ohioma also underscored the critical role of infrastructure in boosting tourism. She commended Lagos State for its progress in road networks and tourism development, citing events such as “Detty December” as an example of how infrastructure supports vibrant local tourism. However, she lamented that Nigeria still lags behind global destinations like Zanzibar, Seychelles, and Mauritius, where infrastructure ensures easy access to tourist sites.
Hospitality business consultant and founder of Hotel Emergency Room, Ntewak Umoh, described the expo as a one-stop hub for accessing solutions across the industry.
Umoh said bringing together vendors for the trade show is a one stop place that affords practitioners the opportunity to meet more needs within the same space and then access solutions for the business.
“For our businesses to work we need a lot of vendors that provide different kinds of services that support hotels and restaurants.
“So when you have this wide range of businesses coming together you have access to different kinds of solutions for different parts of the business.
Umoh noted that the hospitality industry provides the most employment compared to other industries.
“We have about 400 hospitality businesses across Lagos for example. I mean if each of those businesses have like 100 staff, multiply that, that’s like a huge ecosystem.
“There’s no Lagos without hotels and restaurants.”
The stakeholders and panel speakers emphasized the need to infuse personal culture into the practice. They viewed that Nigeria’s hospitality sector, if properly structured, could become one of the largest contributors to GDP while also serving as an employer of labour for the country’s growing youth population.
In their believe, for the sector to grow, government must support with the policy agenda that includes regulatory facilitation; investment incentives; public private platforms among others.
They concluded that Nigeria’s hospitality sector is sitting on untapped gold, as Foreign partnerships are the spade that can dig it out, while government incentives like HEN are the water that can make it grow.
