COLOMBO, Sept 8 (ePRESS) – Former Governor of Cross River State, Nigeria, Benedict Ayade, is planning to set up the first Nigerian Sri Lanka Institute of Hospitality Management in Colombo.
Ayade said he will sign an MoU next week with veteran hotelier Chandra Mohotti, former Senior Vice President of the Galle Face Hotels Group and ex-Chairman of the Ceylon Hotel School.
Ayade, who owns two three-star hotels in Nigeria, is also investing in a 400-plus room five-star property due to open early next year. He said Sri Lanka’s reputation for high hospitality standards made it the ideal location to train both his hotel staff and Nigerian students keen to join the industry.
“As a second stage, we are looking at acquiring a 150-room city hotel,” he said. “It will serve two purposes – training and promoting high-end tourism from Nigeria to Sri Lanka.”
Mohotti said he is keen to work with the Galle Face Hotel Group to train Nigerian students under this new initiative.
Ayade, who received the APC nomination in 2023 to contest Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, also praised Sri Lanka’s Cinnamon Life development, calling it one of the world’s best five-star hotels.
During his visit, Ayade explored investment opportunities in other sectors. He held talks with Colombo Dockyard PLC to develop ship-repairing facilities at Nigerian ports, and with Ariya Food to import Sri Lankan rice, fruits and vegetables to Nigeria by the end of the year.
“With Colombo Dockyard, we are working on a possible ship repair agreement, while through Ariya Food we hope to bring Sri Lankan agro products to Nigeria,” Ayade said.
