Bon Hotels begins launch of 11 new hotels across Nigeria

Bon Hotels International has begun the launch of 11 new hotels across the country with the unveiling of BON Hotel, Maitama, Abuja. This brings the total number of hotels being managed by BON to 25.

The Chairman, BON Hotels International West Africa,. Otto Stehlik, said he was extremely pleased at the progress of the BON group, adding that BON Hotel recognised the need of skills development when it began operating in Nigeria.

He said “We put together a transformation program, which the board identified as a priority. We are finally in a position where we have a team of elite Nigerians who have been trained, educated, skilled and, importantly, mentored to head up and be supported by senior executive management and head office.”Executive Director of BON Hotels International West Africa, Bernard Cassar, said the organisation is proud that its hotels across Nigeria are peopled by mainly Nigerians and a few expatriate staff have devoted their energy into transferring their knowledge and abilities to eager Nigerian recruits.

He stated: “Of the 25 hotels which BON hotels manage across Nigeria, 80% of their General Managers, Deputy Managers, Senior Management, department heads and executive chefs have, over the last two years, been trained, skilled and promoted to senior level positions by the group.”We are able to boast from the rooftops that more and more of our hotels are managed on a senior level by locally trained Nigerian staff. “

He explained that the Nigerian management headed by a Nigerian, Paul Umoh, who, from his position as executive director and major shareholder at BON Hotels International West Africa, has been one of the many local Nigerians who have been fast-tracked through the transformation policy, adding Umoh heads up the on-the-ground operational management of the Nigerian hotels.