Aleph Hospitality, a Dubai-based hotel management company, has secured management agreements for three hospitality properties in Akwa Ibom State with a combined 483 rooms, deepening its expansion in Nigeria as it targets a 100-hotel portfolio by the end of 2029.
The Nigerian agreements cover the Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Arise Palm Resort and Ibom International Hotel and Convention Centre, according to the company’s latest expansion update.
The three properties form part of 1,330 new hotel keys added by Aleph across nine properties in six countries so far this year, taking its portfolio to more than 50 hotels across 38 cities in 24 countries, representing more than 7,000 keys.
Expansion spans six countries
Beyond Nigeria, Aleph’s latest agreements cover Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ivory Coast and the United Arab Emirates.
In Pakistan, the company signed an agreement to manage the 200-key Crowne Plaza Multan, marking its entry into the country. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2028.
In Dubai, Aleph assumed management of the 279-key Mövenpick Grand Al Bustan, its third property for West F5 Investments.
The company also signed management agreements for the 101-key Best Western Premier Royal Golf View in Kigali, Rwanda, and the 118-key five-star Wimby Resort in Tanzania.
Its Ivory Coast expansion includes the 96-key Onomo Angre in Abidjan and the 53-key Onomo Allure Koa Lodge.
The two Ivorian properties were added to the Onomo portfolio under a wider 26-hotel agreement signed by Aleph with African Hotel Development in 2025.
The latest additions take Aleph closer to its stated target of managing 100 hotels by the end of 2029.
Neil George, partner and co-chief executive officer of Aleph Hospitality, said the company’s expansion reflects a management model designed to adapt to different hotel assets, including repositioning projects, operational transitions and pre-opening assignments.
He also pointed to a changing pattern in hotel contracting across Africa, with more owners combining international hotel franchise agreements with independent operators responsible for day-to-day management.
The model allows hotel owners to secure the branding, distribution and standards associated with international chains while using independent management companies to oversee operations.
Aleph said its growth during the year has been supported by entering markets ahead of broader operator interest, maintaining a flexible management approach and strengthening regional decision-making.
Aleph’s expansion comes amid an increase in franchised hotel development across Africa.
The company said an upcoming report being prepared with W Hospitality Group will examine the growth of franchised hotel projects across the continent.
According to the company, the number of franchised hotel projects in the African pipeline has increased from 40 in 2020 to 146 this year.
The expansion of franchised projects points to a changing structure within Africa’s hotel industry, as owners increasingly seek access to international brands, distribution networks and professional operating expertise.
Aleph sees the combination of franchise partnerships and independent hotel management as an avenue to expand its footprint without relying solely on conventional hotel ownership or development.
With 1,330 additional keys secured across six countries in 2026, the company is positioning its management platform for further growth across emerging hospitality markets.
In Nigeria, the addition of 483 keys in Akwa Ibom gives the group a larger operating base in one of the country’s emerging tourism and business destinations, while its wider African expansion places the company among the operators seeking to capture the continent’s growing pipeline of branded and professionally managed hotels.
