Marriott boosts stronghold in Nigeria

Protea Hotel by Marriott, Owerri Select has opened in south-eastern Nigeria, a development which further consolidates the presence of Marriott International in the country.

Protea Hotels by Marriott already operates in two Nigerian cities, in Lagos with Protea Hotel Lagos Kuramo Waters and Protea Hotel Ikeja Select, as well as in Benin City with Protea Hotel Benin City.

The 90-room Protea Hotel by Marriott Owerri, developed by African Capital Alliance, a leading investment firm, and Kunoch Limited, is located in Owerri city, the capital of Imo State. ‎ Imo State is commonly referred to as the "Heartland" and is regarded as the entertainment capital of eastern Nigeria. The state is also a producer of oil and natural gas and is home to a large number of regional oil and financial services offices.

Marriott International vice president of Protea Hotels by Marriott Volker Heiden said: "The opening of Protea Hotel by Marriott, Owerri Select, illustrates our confidence in the potential of Nigeria and is in line with our commitment to grow in strategic secondary cities across the continent. The recent expansion of the city's airport will give the city better accessibility, which we are confident will further drive business travel."

African Capital Alliance principal and head of real estate Obiora Nwogugu added, "This new hotel is an important addition to the hotels we already own in the cities of Lagos and Benin in Nigeria, and Takoradi in Ghana. We are pleased to partner yet again with Protea Hotels by Marriott, which enjoys strong regional brand equity and awareness coupled with the global distribution of Marriott International."

Marriott International currently operates over 140 hotels in 20 countries in Africa and is targeting a projected growth by 2022 of over 200 hotels with more than 36,000 rooms across operating and pipeline hotels.