Category: Business Day

Lagos State has stepped up its push to attract climate finance and private-sector investment, with Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu calling for stronger partnerships and greater access to affordable, long-term funding for sub-national governments.

Sanwo-Olu made the call while addressing Heads of State and Government at the United Nations high-level meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The governor, who addressed the meeting as a representative of the Under2 Coalition, said states and regions are increasingly responsible for translating climate commitments into physical infrastructure and economic opportunities, but often lack access to the capital required to execute projects at scale.

‘For Lagos, climate action is about turning ambition into opportunity: protecting our people, strengthening our economy and building a more resilient and prosperous state for generations to come,’ Sanwo-Olu said.

He identified cleaner transportation, waste management, recycling, circular-economy initiatives and clean energy as areas where climate action could generate economic value while addressing the environmental pressures created by Lagos’ rapid urbanisation.

Lagos generates more than 5,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, according to the state government, creating potential investment opportunities across waste recovery, recycling, resource efficiency and clean-energy value chains.

‘These are not abstract climate policies. These are decisions that can create jobs, improve services, strengthen resilience and make everyday life better for millions of people,’ he noted.

Lagos seeks climate investment

A major focus of the Governor’s intervention was the financing gap confronting subnational governments seeking to implement climate and infrastructure projects.

Sanwo-Olu called on development finance institutions, investors and private-sector players to increase their participation in climate-related projects in emerging markets, arguing that the investment opportunity is substantial.

‘States and regions need access to affordable, long-term finance that can help turn strong plans into infrastructure on the ground,’ he said.

‘Our message from Lagos is simple: states, regions and subnational governments are ready to deliver. We have ambition. We have the responsibility. And increasingly, we have the solutions. Now we need to build the partnerships and mobilise the investment that will allow us to deliver them at scale.’

The governor’s intervention was made alongside California Governor Gavin Newsom, with Lagos using its membership of the Under2 Coalition to deepen international partnerships and exchange practical approaches to climate action.

Building a climate investment pipeline

Lagos is now seeking to move beyond policy commitments by developing mechanisms to connect its climate priorities with investors and sources of capital.

Through the Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy (OCCE), led by Special Adviser to the Governor, Titilayo Oshodi, the state is working to translate its State-Determined Contributions framework into investable projects.

‘The SDC Framework gives us the policy direction, but policy ambition alone does not move capital,’ Oshodi said.

‘Our focus now is on building the bridge between climate ambition and investment – developing investable opportunities, strengthening the data and measurement systems around them and creating pathways for investors, financial institutions, development finance institutions and businesses to participate.’

The state is also developing a Lagos Climate Finance and Investment Platform, which is expected to link climate priorities with capital, technology and implementation partners.

The platform will focus on areas including climate finance, deal-making, Article 6 and climate assets, digital measurement and verification, as well as international partnerships.

For Lagos, the strategy represents an attempt to position climate action not only as an environmental programme but also as a potential source of infrastructure financing, private investment, technology transfer and employment.

The state plans to further showcase its investment proposition at COP31 in Antalya, Trkiye, where it intends to engage investors, development finance institutions, financial institutions, project developers and technology companies.

The broader objective is to convert Lagos’ climate commitments into a pipeline of bankable projects capable of attracting domestic and international capital while supporting the state’s long-term economic and infrastructure development.

Chelsea Football Club have been charged by the Football Association (FA) over alleged discriminatory conduct by fans during their Premier League win over Fulham in August.

If found guilty, the Blues could face disciplinary action from the Football Association.

The FA said Chelsea were charged with breaching Rule E21 over alleged conduct by spectators during the ninth minute of the 3-2 at Craven Cottage on August 24.

According to the FA, Chelsea allegedly failed to ensure that their spectators and supporters did not behave in an ‘improper, offensive, abusive or insulting’ manner.

The governing body further alleged that the conduct was discriminatory because it included a reference, either express or implied, to religion or belief.

The charge follows Chelsea’s own acknowledgement of concerns raised after the match. The club wrote to supporters following the victory, saying it had received ‘multiple reports of sectarian chanting from a small portion’ of its fans.

Chelsea said it did not condone discriminatory chanting and warned that supporters found responsible would face ‘the strongest possible action’.

The FA’s disciplinary process could now result in a financial penalty or other sanctions if the charge is proven, depending on the circumstances and the findings of the relevant disciplinary panel.

The case adds another disciplinary issue for Chelsea to manage as the club seeks to maintain its conduct standards both inside and outside the stadium.

Chelsea are currently 10th in the Premier League with seven points after five matches.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says he will lead the campaign for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in Abuja and Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike disclosed this on Friday while inspecting the ongoing construction of the second phase of the Kuje-Gwagwalada road dualisation project in Chikuku, Abuja.

He said he would soon inaugurate campaign teams in the FCT and Rivers State, adding that supporters of Tinubu from different political platforms were already preparing for the election.

‘The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is putting itself together for an aggressive campaign,’ Wike said. ‘For us who are supporting Mr President from different political platforms, we have put our machinery ready to fully kickstart.’

The minister said the government’s infrastructure projects in the FCT would help build public support for Tinubu’s administration.

According to him, residents would judge the administration by the roads and other projects being delivered, rather than claims of electoral malpractice.

‘People are happy, and I don’t know who will contest against Mr President as far as this election is concerned,’ Wike said.

He also expressed confidence that Tinubu would receive support in the FCT, including for Senator Philip Aduda and candidates seeking election to the two House of Representatives seats in the territory.

Wike said the projects being delivered in the FCT would make allegations of election rigging difficult to sustain.

‘The ‘rigging’ is the projects we are delivering, making the people happy,’ he said.

On the Kuje-Gwagwalada road project, Wike commended the contractor and engineers for the progress made so far. He said funding would be provided to ensure the project is completed by December.

The minister said the high population around the project area showed the importance of completing the road and providing better infrastructure for residents.

He added that delivering functional infrastructure was central to good governance because it improves the lives of residents and increases public satisfaction.

Wike also thanked Tinubu for supporting capital projects in the FCT.

For over two decades, Citi Hotel Group, a leading indigenous hospitality company, has played in the Nigerian hospitality landscape, amid success.

The group, which started with a property in Abuja, recently opened Citi Residence, its premium boutique offering at Onikoyi Estate, Banana Island Road, Ikoyi.

In this interview, Olufemi Talabi, founder and chairman of the group, shares with Obinna Emelike the vision of the group, rationale for the new hotel, why priority is given to the environment, the selling points, commitment to human capital development, among others.

Excerpt.

Congratulations on the new hotel. How has the new offering impacted Citi Group’s vision?

This is our fourth hotel, and we have been moving on along the line, in accordance with our vision. We grow slowly, organically, and we continue to move on.

So, what we do is to ensure that wherever we are, we put the environment into consideration. From the conceptualization, to the building of our hotels, we make sure that they are built in accordance with the environment where we are.

To answer your question directly, we are moving in accordance with our vision to have all these boutiques and small hotels in very few locations in the world.

What informed the high quality?

Well, the idea is that we believe that first of all, whenever a guest comes to a hotel, it is the property’s services and facilities that facilitate patronage.

If you do it very well, that means that you score at least 30 percent because when the guests come in, they see that all your walls have marble on them, the marble floor, the granite floor, and the ambience is good, they love it and enjoy their stay. Again, these days, hospitality, particularly when it comes to luxury hotels, is more of the service you provide. What we try to do is to ensure that we match our services with the facilities.

What are the facilities in the new hotel?

We have 47 rooms in this hotel and a small meeting room that takes about 50 guests. We have other regular facilities. We have a restaurant, a gym, and a rooftop terrace, which is quite nice. From the rooftop you can see the lagoon water. The view is very nice, especially in the evenings.

What is your target market?

We are more or less like a business hotel. We target people who want to have their quiet, and who want a serene environment, because that is the advantage of where we are located here. It is very serene compared to Banana Island, so that is very important. That is also why we make sure that our rooms and facilities are to that standard.

Beyond business guests, are there elements of luxury in the hotel?

Certainly, yes. Like I would go to our rooms to see what we have and what we don’t have. Like I said, luxury has not even transcended just what you see. It is the experience people get that is now very important, and that is really the definition of luxury now. It is not much of the furniture, the chandeliers and things like that. It is still important to put in place all that, but what is critical is that experience that you create for people, and that memory that was experienced.

How did you go about the staffing of the current hotel, considering its highbrow environment?

What we did was a mixture. We brought some good hands from other locations, and we employed more people because we have a culture already, and it is important that we maintain that culture. So, apart from the fact that we are improving standards here, we still have a culture which is driving that customer experience we are trying to offer. So, it is a mixture of both.

With four hotels now, are you considering setting up a training academy?

You are absolutely right because it is an idea we have toyed with in the past. We have already incorporated a company to pursue that.

So, because you agree with me that there can be a thread of good hands in this area. And don’t forget that a lot of people that come into hospitality, usually the idea is not to make it permanent. I mean a permanent vocation and profession; they are always ready to move.

It is only when they now start enjoying what they are doing that they stay. They enjoy it in terms of the type of business itself, and of course, the operation of the business.

One of the things we are trying to do is also to incorporate in our people that this hospitality business is very good and can sustain them. For me, hospitality is very good. I am enjoying it so much.

How long has the hotel been opened and how has business been since then?

We have been in business here for about a year now. Also, business has not been bad. Of course, we can do better. I would say we have broken about 55 percent occupancy on average.

Considering your high-end location, how is competition here?

Well, we have a lot of hotels around, apart from here. Do not forget that when people come to Ikoyi, they want a place to stay, and we have a number of hotels here and a lot of short-time apartments all over the place as well. So, that is enough competition for us.

But this is the business we understand and enjoy. What is important here is that we make sure that we operate in such a way that we do not destroy the environment. It is very critical for us. And that is our promise also to the estate area. We love quiet and serene settings and our hotel is in that setting because the target is guests that want some level of privacy, a place where they can sit and enjoy themselves quietly, sleep, and that is it. We do not allow any noise around here.

These are very important to us. We have enough parking space for the hotel to avoid noise and that is very important for us and our host community. We are also very conscious of security.

We make sure that we know every guest that comes to this hotel before he comes in here. That is how it is.

With focus on serenity, are there meeting facilities in the hotel?

Absolutely, yes. We have space for meetings, like board meetings, and small meetings that are very quiet.

Just meetings, training, and things like that. That is what we do here, but for a very small group because we are very conscious of our environment. We do not want any noise. We just want people to come in, do what they want to do, and leave.

We have a meeting facility, it takes about 40-45 people. But it is fully loaded in terms of everything; modern conferencing facilities, projectors, and all the visuals.

How fulfilled are you at accomplishing this?

Well, I will say that I feel fulfilled with how far we have gone because we are going according to our plan.

That gives us some satisfaction and fulfilment, but we are not stopping. We are moving on and already planning ahead again. That is the idea. I will continue to do that until maybe, when I retire.

The Supreme Court has upheld the authority of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 on political party membership registers and the conduct of party primaries.

A seven-member panel led by Justice Adamu Jauro on Thursday overturned a Court of Appeal judgment that voided parts of the Electoral Act and upheld the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The apex court held that Sections 77(5) and 84 of the Electoral Act do not conflict with the 1999 Constitution.

The court also awarded N2 million in costs against the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), which challenged the provisions.

The ruling followed an appeal by INEC against the July 16, 2026 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had partly upheld ZLP’s challenge and voided provisions on party membership registers and candidate nomination.

The dispute centres on Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

Sections 77(5) to 77(7) require political parties to maintain and submit membership registers, while Section 84(2) provides for direct primaries or consensus as methods for nominating candidates.

ZLP had argued that the provisions amounted to interference in the internal affairs of political parties and were inconsistent with Sections 221 and 222 of the 1999 Constitution, which provide the constitutional framework for political parties.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, dismissed the party’s case in a judgment delivered on May 5, 2026.

ZLP appealed to the Court of Appeal, which in its July 16 judgment allowed the appeal in part and voided provisions relating to party primaries and membership registers.

INEC then appealed to the Supreme Court, asking it to overturn the Court of Appeal’s decision and uphold the validity of the disputed provisions.

The Supreme Court also dismissed separate appeals filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Youth Party against decisions of the Court of Appeal in their respective cases involving INEC.

In the SDP case, the court considered the appeal on its merits and dismissed it.

In the Youth Party case, the court upheld INEC’s preliminary objection and struck out the appeal for being incompetent.

The apex court held that the Youth Party filed its appeal one day outside the prescribed period.

INEC had asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeals filed by the two political parties.

The decisions uphold the commission’s role in enforcing statutory requirements governing political parties, including rules on membership registers and candidate nomination.

Nigerian artists generated more than N60 billion from Spotify in 2025 after their music was streamed 30.3 billion times, highlighting the growing value of the country’s music catalogue.

But as streaming revenue, licensing deals and catalogue valuations rise, disputes over who owns recordings, collects royalties and recovers investment are becoming increasingly consequential.

Recent disputes involving Runtown and Eric Many, Shallipopi, Seyi Vibez and T.I Blaze, and Dapper Music show how disagreements over contracts can become costly battles over valuable intellectual property.

The underlying issue is straightforward: a successful song is an asset, but its value depends on who owns the rights, who controls the revenue, and whether the financial records can prove what each party is owed.

‘Artists can now build audiences around the world without depending entirely on traditional labels, and streaming has made it easier to track things like streams and revenue,’ said Chukwudi Chimezie, an entertainment and intellectual property lawyer.

‘That gives artists more information about their business and, in some cases, more leverage when dealing with labels.’

A catalogue is only worth what can be verified

The growing interest in African music catalogues is turning songs into increasingly sophisticated financial assets.

Investors and specialist rights companies can acquire or manage catalogues for their future royalty streams. But valuation requires more than knowing how many times a song has been streamed.

A potential buyer needs to establish who owns the masters and publishing rights, whether rights have previously been assigned or licensed, whether there are outstanding contractual claims and whether historical revenue can be independently verified.

BusinessDay has reported on growing efforts to treat intellectual property, including music catalogues, as assets capable of attracting investment and financing.

That makes contractual clarity a financial issue, not merely a legal one.

A catalogue with clean ownership, reliable royalty records and predictable cash flows is easier to value, license or finance than one tied up in unresolved contractual claims.

Global 6G connections are projected to reach 2.4 billion by 2035, marking a rapid expansion of the next-generation mobile technology after commercial launches begin around the end of the decade, according to GSMA Intelligence.

The research arm of the GSMA expects 6G connections to rise from about 50 million at the end of 2030 to 275 million in 2031 and nearly 740 million in 2032, as operators and technology companies build out the ecosystem around the new standard.

The forecast indicates that 6G will cross the one-billion connection mark in 2033, reaching about 1.3 billion connections by the end of that year. Connections are then expected to rise to 1.9 billion in 2034 before reaching 2.4 billion in 2035.

GSMA Intelligence expects 6G to account for about 0.5 percent of global mobile connections by the end of 2030, reflecting an initial period of limited commercial deployment before adoption accelerates.

The growth is expected to occur in two distinct phases. Between 2030 and 2032, 6G deployment will be driven mainly by initial commercial launches and ecosystem development. From 2033, GSMA Intelligence expects the technology to move into global-scale operations as device availability, network coverage and supporting infrastructure expand.

Despite the rapid growth, 6G is not expected to immediately displace existing mobile technologies.

GSMA Intelligence forecasts that 5G will still account for around 60 percent of global mobile connections in 2035, compared with 23 percent for 6G. This points to a prolonged period in which operators will manage multiple generations of mobile technology rather than move customers wholesale from 5G to 6G.

Matthew Iji, head of data modelling and forecasting at GSMA Intelligence, said the 2035 projection should be viewed as a milestone in the development of 6G rather than its final destination.

By 2035, he said, 6G will have become firmly established in the global mobile technology mix while 5G remains the larger technology base and 4G continues to serve many markets.

‘This coexistence is likely to be one of the defining characteristics of the early 6G era,’ Iji said.

China is expected to have a particularly significant influence on global 6G adoption because of the size of its mobile market.

GSMA Intelligence forecasts that China will account for more than half of global 6G connections by 2035. It also expects several other leading mobile markets to have around half of their connections running on 6G by the middle of the decade.

The forecast suggests that the transition to 6G will therefore be less about replacing 5G outright and more about adding another layer to an increasingly multi-generation mobile ecosystem.

For operators, the prolonged coexistence of 4G, 5G and 6G is likely to require continued investment across network infrastructure, spectrum, devices and supporting technologies as adoption develops at different speeds across markets.

The projected 2.4 billion connections would represent a substantial expansion from the estimated 50 million connections expected during the first year of commercial 6G deployment, underscoring the anticipated acceleration once the technology moves beyond its initial launch phase.

The Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has declared a mega protest in October that will see them shut down the Bolt and inDrive apps in Lagos as the union presses for a 10 percent commission cap and a review of platform fares.

According to the statement, signed by Jaiyesimi Azeez, chairman of the Lagos State Council of the union, the mega protest is intended not only to draw massive attention to the plight of e-hailing drivers and other app workers, but to also bring the two major apps in the country, Bolt and inDrive, to the table.

AUATON noted that rising operational costs, vehicle financing obligations, fuel expenses, maintenance costs, insurance, data subscriptions, government levies and other daily expenses have placed enormous financial pressure on drivers.

The union, however, noted that despite these challenges, ride-hailing companies have refused to adjust their existing fare and commission structures to reflect these realities, creating serious concerns about the sustainability of the profession.

‘The proposed Mega Shutdown is a structured and collective industrial action intended to draw the attention of relevant stakeholders, regulatory authorities and app-based transport companies to the legitimate concerns of drivers.

‘It is a coordinated demand for fairness, transparency, dignity, welfare and sustainable working conditions for app-based transporters,’ the statement read.

AUATON also disclosed fare review, as its core demand from Bolt and inDrive, noting that app companies must review fares to reflect the prevailing economic realities and the actual cost of operating a vehicle.

The union demanded a substantial reduction in commissions with a target of not more than 10 per cent, which will be subject to negotiations and a transparent explanation of any additional charges or deductions.

AUATON called for an end to fare and commission manipulation, stating that any significant change to fares, commissions, subscriptions or other financial terms should be preceded by meaningful consultation with driver representatives.

It further demanded that Bolt and inDrive establish meaningful welfare structures for drivers, including health insurance, accident support, emergency assistance, retirement/social protection initiatives and driver support programmes.

AUATON also called for transparency in trip pricing, urging both platforms to provide drivers with clear information on passenger fares, driver earnings, platform commission, discounts, promotional deductions, other charges, trip distance and duration, and applicable pricing variables.

‘Drivers should be able to understand exactly how the amount credited to them was calculated,’ the union said.

AUATON further demanded proper rider verification to enhance driver safety, which includes consideration of NIN-linked identity verification, subject to applicable Nigerian privacy, data protection, and regulatory requirements.

‘The objective is to reduce impersonation, fraud, robbery, assault and other security risks affecting both drivers and passengers.

‘The mega protest also aims to push for proper regulation of the e-hailing industry and create a framework for constructive negotiations between drivers, the Union, the government and platform operators,’ the statement read.

The union acknowledged that drivers’ financial obligations could limit participation in the industrial action, as many operate under hire-purchase arrangements, rentals, daily remittances and other repayment commitments. It said prolonged periods offline could therefore expose some drivers to significant financial hardship.

‘Rather than ignoring this reality, AUATON Lagos is proposing a strategic alternative. The Council shall engage credible Nigerian/local mobility platforms capable of providing drivers with an alternative operating environment where appropriate.

‘The objective is not merely to replace one application with another. The objective is to promote an industry model that places drivers at the centre of its economic structure,’ AUATON stated.

The union noted that any local platform to be considered shall be subjected to proper evaluation, including fare structure, commission model, driver welfare provisions, safety mechanisms, payment transparency, customer support, data protection, driver participation in decision-making, dispute-resolution mechanisms, regulatory compliance and sustainability of the business model.

The girl sat with vacant eyes, her head at an angle. There was a din around her, noise from a nearby car, and lots of talking going on around her. We were both in the same space. I was engaged with a trader in the middle of Wuse’s market, but she sat still inside the store, hardly moving. I was surprised that the noise did not affect her gaze, and the cacophony did not break her stillness.

Then a woman who looked old enough to be her mother walked into the shop carrying a bright orange handbag and half a smile. ‘Let’s go,’ she said to the girl whose gaze remained fixed on nothing in particular. She nudged her verbally twice before the girl even noticed that she was being spoken to. She was certainly not present. She jerked into movement like someone who had been in a trance.

I carried her gaze with me for days before I randomly ran into her again in a supermarket. It was serendipitous that we should meet again. I stepped forward with my brightest smile to make her acquaintance. She was cool in her engagement and seemed uninterested in any form of friendship. The gaze was half there, and she did not even volunteer her name. So I presented her with my call card and walked away.

Nameless remained on my mind for another month. Her gaze, her stillness, her disinterest in friendship. She seemed like someone from a different planet. She moved slowly, almost mechanically, and spoke in a whisper, her voice in the recesses of her almost gaunt body. I could see the lines on her forehead and a slight throbbing in her forehead. Now I was concerned. She seemed troubled. Her gaze, albeit her persona, stayed with me and made me uncomfortable. She was about 17 years old but had the visage of someone younger. There was something, but I could not place my finger on it.

Spool forward about eight weeks later, and she called.

Her name was Margaret, and she wanted to meet with me. It had to be in the evening because she had a plan, and she was prosecuting it that evening.

I drove under the cloak of an early night. Darkness played tricks on the road, flickering shoplights filtering through to create shadows of moving persons in the dark. It was near a series of poorly lit shops. I sat in my car and waited. It was eight o’clock in the evening.

She emerged, wrapped in a brownish see-through veil. A floral blue and white long dress hugged her fragile body. She moved slowly like someone without intent. She brought her vacant look with her. Margaret boarded the front seat of my car without looking at me. Then she began to talk. First, a slow run, quickly catching her breath as she raced along. The words came like salvos, each one piercing the night.

When she stopped after a thirty-minute run, her voice was husky and carried indescribable emotions. She turned slowly and looked at me. For the first time, there was a spark of someone behind those tear-filled eyes. Her last set of words was haunting. You have to help me.

Margaret’s story was painful and troubling.

It’s my father,’ she said when she started talking. I work. But he takes all I earn. As if that was not enough, he had been abusing her since she was thirteen years old, when her mum left him temporarily after a fight. When her mother returned, Margaret had the courage to report her dad, but her mum did not believe her and called it a fantasy. Then, one day, she caught her dad in the act and asked to tell no one. ‘I am literally living like a ghost,’ she said. In my father’s house.

Margaret had asked me several questions that night, one of which was why families inflict pain on their members. I had no immediate answers.

In the last year, since I met her, incest has been on the rise. Some incredible, mostly troubling. Who is protecting the girl child? How about the lady in Delta sodomising her three-year-old daughter? Don’t be deceived that the boy child does not need protection. Another of them is also being abused. The era of Sodom and Gomorrah is upon us. Families are destroying each other and inflicting pain on one another.

Phenomenal American writer Maya Angelou was raped when she was very young, and it led to her not speaking for three years.

The trauma of rape does not diminish whether it’s a family member or a stranger.

Back to Margaret. The night I met her, she had planned her escape. She was running away. She carried nothing. Just her phone and a notepad where she wrote about her pain. I did not want to take anything that reminded me of that house, she said.

Today Margaret is a graduate. Her eyes light up when you talk about human anatomy. With a BSc in Biology, she has enrolled to become a doctor. Are you inflicting pain on a family member? Who are you? A destroyer or a builder? All builders gather here. All destroyers stay away. Await the law of Karma.

Martin Bredenoord is the general manager of Sheraton Lagos Hotel, who leads a team of hospitality professionals to deliver high-quality service offerings, amid world-class facilities.

In this interview, he shares insights on the role of the pioneer hotel in the development of Nigeria’s hospitality industry, why it is still thriving after four decades in business, the changing landscape of the industry, especially with technology, sustainability practice, place of human capital in the business, and his message on World Tourism Day 2026. Excerpt.

Sheraton Lagos has been part of Nigeria’s hospitality landscape for more than four decades. What does that history mean to the hotel and the wider tourism industry?

Sheraton Lagos opened its doors in 1985, at a time when Nigeria was beginning to strengthen its position as an important business and travel destination in Africa. Over the past four decades, we have had the privilege of being part of the country’s evolving hospitality and tourism story.

For us, that history represents much more than longevity. It represents continuity, resilience, adaptation and the responsibility that comes with being an institution within an industry.

Generations of business travellers, diplomats, tourists, families, airline crews and Nigerians returning home have passed through our doors. We have hosted major meetings, conferences, celebrations and events that have brought people together from across Nigeria and the world.

Our location in Ikeja, close to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, has also positioned Sheraton Lagos as an important gateway for visitors arriving in Lagos.

So, when we speak about our history, we are really speaking about the history of the people, businesses and travelers who have contributed to Nigeria’s hospitality ecosystem over the years.

As a pioneer in the industry, how would you describe Sheraton Lagos’ role in the development of the tourism and hospitality industry?

I would describe Sheraton Lagos as one of the pioneering internationally branded hotels that helped establish global hospitality standards within Nigeria.

Bringing an international hospitality brand into a developing market introduces systems, operating standards, service culture, training frameworks, and a level of consistency that can influence the wider industry.

Over the years, Sheraton Lagos has served not only as a hotel, but also as a training ground for hospitality professionals. Many people who began their careers here have gone on to hold leadership positions across Nigeria and other parts of the world.

We have also contributed to the business tourism ecosystem by providing accommodation, meeting spaces, food and beverage experiences and event facilities for corporate and international visitors.

Ultimately, our role has been to help connect Nigeria to the global hospitality ecosystem while ensuring that the experience remains relevant to the Nigerian market.