Photo Caption: Left to right, CEO of Transcorp Hotels Limited Plc, Valentine Ozigbo; President/CEO, Hilton Hotels, Chris Nassetta; Chairman Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, Tony Elumelu; and Executive VP and President of Global Development, Architecture & Construction, Hilton Worldwide, Ian Carter; at the signing ceremony in Washington DC on October 31, 2017.

The management of Transcorp Hotels Plc, a subsidiary of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc says it has signed a 20-year deal with owners of the Hilton global brand extending the current agreement to manage its flagship Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja. The agreement will see Hilton manage the hotel, which has hosted countless heads of state and global events like the World Economic Forum on Africa, until 2037, by which time it would have operated the facility for 50 years since its inception in 1987.
Speaking at a signing ceremony in Washington DC, Chris Nassetta, Hilton’s President and CEO, said: “We have had an incredible relationship with the Transcorp team and we are happy to announce that we will continue to grow that relationship throughout the next 20 years. With our mission to be the world’s most hospitable company, I am delighted we will be able to continue welcoming guests to this hotel until at least 2037.”
The award-winning 667-room hotel – one of the largest in sub-Saharan Africa – is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation which will transform the property. The extensive refurbishment will continue the Transcorp Hotels legacy as the leading provider of hospitality in Nigeria.
The statement also quoted Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Transcorp Plc as expressing delight to continue the “long-standing owner-operator relationship with Hiton. Our investment in the renovation reflects our commitment to shaping Nigeria into a leading hospitality centre in the West Africa region and with Hilton as our operating partners, we are confident that we will continue to lead in the sector.”
Hilton and Transcorp Hotels have two additional properties in the development pipeline, just as Hilton expects to open six hotels in the next six months across Africa, and properties in 15 countries where it currently does not operate in the next three years.
Also at the signing ceremony, Valentine Ozigbo, chief executive of Transcorp Hotels, commended Hilton for its clear commitment to delivering excellence and restated the owners’ commitment to continue to use technology and products to develop the hotel as a destination not just for high-end clientele, but also for those travelling to Abuja for business and leisure.
Hilton, which has more than 5,000 hotels globally, has had a continuous presence in Africa for more than 50 years, expects to more than double its current presence across the continent in the next five years.