Considering the huge population of the youth, amid potential and energy needed to impact workforce and productivity, it is regrettable that the age bracket is hugely underutilised, especially in Nigeria’s hospitality industry.
As well, instead of sourcing skills outside the shores of the country, a consciousness effort at developing and empowering the youth with skills across the hospitality industry will offer a pool of skilled manpower needed in the industry.
The above were the positions of Karl Hala, group general manager, Continental Hotels Group, in his keynote speech at the 8th International Hospitality, Tourism, and Eco-Sustainability Forum (IHTEF 8.0).
In the speech titled ‘People First. Youth Forward. Hospitality Reimagined’, Hala, a French-born hospitality expert, described the youth as Nigeria’s untapped superpower, hence the need to develop and utilise their full potential for sustainable growth of the hospitality industry.
According to Hala, the youth is the vibrant majority of Nigeria, and sadly the most underutilized superpower in the hospitality sector today.
“Why should a young Nigerian dream of leaving for a Swiss hotel school in Lausanne when the future of hospitality excellence can and should be taught right here in Lagos, Abuja, or Enugu?
“We must shift the mindset from ‘escape to Europe’ to ‘build from Nigeria.’ From seeing hospitality as a fallback option to understanding it as a fast-growing, rewarding, global career path”.
Speaking further at the forum, which held at Abuja Continental Hotel, which is one of the properties under the Continental Hotels Nigeria, Hala, a firm believer in the potential of people and especially, the youth, noted that people are the greatest assets of the hospitality industry.
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“In hospitality, we do not manufacture products, we craft experiences and those experiences come to life only through people,” he said.
“Technology may enhance efficiency, but it is empathy that creates loyalty. Buildings can be beautiful, but it is the people within that make a guest return. Our industry is not built on concrete, it is built on the character, culture, and care of its people”.
Pointing at some of the efforts of Continental Hotels Group at developing and engaging the youth, he noted, “We do not just hire, we develop. We believe in career paths, not just payroll numbers.
“We are actively mapping out growth trajectories for young talents, from internships to leadership pipelines.
“We are investing in mentorship, training academies, and skills acceleration programmes that open doors to becoming not just supervisors, but general managers, owners, and innovators”.
The goal of the hotel group in terms of youth development, according to him, is clear.
“To create a future where a young Nigerian can proudly say, I was trained, mentored, and celebrated by Nigerian hotels – and now I lead on the global stage,” he said.
With the Nigerian youth in mind, he said that the future is local, sustainable and smart.
In line with that, the group is building Lagos School of Hospitality Excellence, while making Abuja Hospitality Institute a reference point for West Africa.
At the end, he hopes to raise hotel graduates that know how to respect culture, save energy, delight guests, and uplift teams.
“That is the kind of workforce Nigeria can export to the world, or proudly retain,” he said.
In his conclusion, he hopes that within a decade, Nigeria must be known not just for oil, music, and jollof, but for world-class hospitality talent.
“Let us invest not just in rooms and restaurants, but in resilience and relevance. Let us give our youth not just jobs, but dignity, direction, and destiny.
“The next big brand may not be from Paris or Dubai, it may just be from Abuja, while the next global hotel icon might be sitting in this room, waiting for her first opportunity,” Hala concluded.
