In 2011, Radisson Hotel Group boosted the Nigerian hospitality market with its entry marked by the opening of Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Lagos, Victoria Island.
The 170-guest room property was the Group’s flagship hotel in Nigeria.
Interestingly, since then, the Group’s portfolio has grown to over 10 properties in the country and over 1600 rooms in operation and under development on the continent.
The year 2023 was equally significant in the Group’s expansion plan in Nigeria as about five new hotels were signed that year, some of which are scheduled to open from next year.
Of course, Nigeria’s record signings in 2023 added about 1600 rooms to the group’s African portfolio, as about 50 percent of the signings were in Nigeria.
Whilst Lagos, from the onset, has been a choice location for the Group, courtesy of the partners, today, the Group’s expansion plan is yielding results, with many pipeline projects outside Lagos, especially in Abuja, the Nigerian capital city, which has the most pipeline project for hotels as at today.
Read also: Radisson Blu Anchorage: Offering beyond comfy room for business travellers
There are four hotels under development in Abuja, the highest by the Group in Nigeria and West Africa.
Apart from having the most pipeline hotel projects, Abuja will also be hosting some of the stylish and luxurious brands of the Radisson Hotel Group.
From Radisson Collection, the most luxurious of the Group’s brands, to Radisson RED, the most stylish of them all; Abuja will be bubbling soon in Radisson colour.
So far, the Group’s singings in Nigeria include Radisson Hotel, Benin City; Radisson Collection Hotel & Conference Center, Abuja; Radisson Blu Hotel, Abuja CBD, Radisson RED Lagos Victoria Island Lagos and Radisson RED Abuja, the latest signing.
Again, the new signings were in line with the Group’s commitment to achieve its towering ambition of reaching 15 hotels in Nigeria by 2027: a target well in focus, with many potential investors going after the Radisson brand.
Moreover, the Nigerian target also aligns with the Group’s commitment to bolster its presence in Africa with about 150 hotels in the next five years.
Considering the increasing demand for more skilled manpower to efficiently run the growing portfolio in Nigeria and to deliver on the expectations of high-profile guests, the Group recently introduced Live workshops of the Radisson Academy, its leading learning and development hub, in Lagos. The academy’s aim is to upskill talent in the industry, having offered over 2,500 training programmes since its inception in 2019, and becoming a cornerstone of both employee development and enabling strategic business success.
The impact of the academy is positive and a testament to the company mantra that “At Radisson Hotel Group, our people are our biggest assets”. The introduction of Radisson Academy Live in Lagos is a testament to the group’s commitment to developing and empowering African talent.
Speaking at the Lagos launch of the live academy workshop, Sandra Kneubuhler, Managing Director, Africa, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “At Radisson Hotel Group, we believe that ‘We grow talent, and talent grows us.’ This principle is the foundation of our culture, driving our commitment to developing our Moment Makers. Our team members in Nigeria are notably dynamic and dedicated, contributing to a robust performance culture. We recognize their potential and are committed to motivating our talent and investing in their personal growth, equipping them to become even more effective leaders.”
Ahmed Raza, District Director Nigeria, Radisson Hotel Group, also added that: “We are excited to host live workshops aimed at increasing African participation in Africa, this will provide comprehensive training and talent development for our diverse team in Nigeria.”
The above is a huge boost to Radisson Hotel Group’s billing as the fastest growing hotel chain in Nigeria and Africa.
