Hospitality managers set to dialogue at HMC Africa 2026

…As Opay leads sponsors at event’s 8th edition

Once again, managers and other hospitality executives across Africa are set to meet at the annual Hotel Managers Conference Africa in Lagos this July.

This year, which is tagged HMC Africa 2026, and also the 8th edition of the event, will witness the gathering of thought leaders, experienced hands, and continent-wide industry stakeholders at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, from July 11 to 12, 2026 to dialogue on industry issues, workable solutions, industry trends, amid networking and challenging the hoteliers to service excellence and improved standards.

The HMC Africa 2026 kicked off with a pre-conference media parley, which was held at Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Ikeja, recently, where the organisers unveiled the lead sponsor, confirmed sponsors and speakers of conference.

Speaking at the unveiling, Olugbenga Sunday, convener of the conference, expressed the readiness of the organisers to host another successful and enlarged edition, amid huge benefits for the participants and the industry at large.

According to him, HMC Africa 2026 will feature one lead headline sponsor, over 20 sponsors, 24 speakers, many panels, amid other excitements.

Unveiling Opay as the headline sponsor this year, Sunday noted that the emergence of the financial institution, which was just a sponsor last year, as the headline sponsor was due to the many benefits it reaped from its previous participation and the huge opportunity that awaits it by leading the sponsorship of this year’s conference.

Other confirmed sponsors include: Lagos Continental Hotel, Radisson Blu, Sheraton Hotel and Towers Ikeja, Glocient Hospitality, Nigerian Bottling Company, Marriott Lagos Ikeja Hotel, Presken, Huwai, Tojum Hospitality, Staycore, Black Diamond Hotel, Eko Hotel and Suites, among others.

Speaking on the reason OPAY is participating as the headline sponsor, Chukwudinma Ezembamlu, director, hospitality, fuel & gas (Key Account Merchant) OPAY, noted that OPAY, which he described as a financial partner to many hospitality outfits, was a gold sponsor last year, but decided to be the headline sponsor this year because of the huge benefits that comes with it.

Apart from being a financial partner to many participating hotels at the conference, Ezembamlu said that OPAY is coming to this year’s conference as the headline sponsor to help hospitality companies in closing the gap in efficiency and service excellence, in terms of payments and other financial concerns.

“Growth in the hospitality sector is faster and we want to boost the growth by helping in transforming how payments are made in the industry, more efficient and easier for the clients and hotels too,” he said.

Ezembamlu used the media unveiling platform to disclose that OPAY is coming to HMC Africa 2026 with a big announcement for the industry.

Responding Olugbenga Sunday noted that the emergence of OPAY as the headline sponsor has aided better preparations for this year’s conference, while promising more excitement, quality deliberations, workable solutions and networking for the participants as the speakers are industry thought leaders and experts who will bring to bear their wealth of experience in the many panels and sessions at the conference this year.

Also, Karl Hala, group general manager, Continental Hotels Group, expressed excitement for being the host of the conference for the third consecutive time and assured the organisers and participants of maximum support to make the two-day event a success.

He called for the need for a positive narrative about the country and that speakers at the conference should reflect that as the country is also doing well in some areas, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Also speaking at the event, Ada Mathews-Ojukwu, sales director, Sheraton Hotel and Tower Ikeja, Lagos, noted the importance of the conference to the industry, while urging hospitality companies to urge their key staff members to participate and benefit from the rich content, insights and networking opportunities of the conference.

Others, including: Lanre Balogun, general manager, Glocient Hospitality, Pius Obaje, managing director, Presken Hotels, Eric Mekwunye, founder/CEO, Hospitality Business School, Tokunbo Toriola, an end-user and friend of the convener, Benedicta Ogar, a hospitality consultant, and Chidinma Ewuzie of Standard Organisation of Nigeria, who also commended HMC Africa for turning things around in the hospitality industry, especially in the areas of training, filling the skills gap, standardization, offering solutions, fostering more collaborations among managers and hotels, and quality networking for participants.

Once again, HMC Africa 2026 will be held from July 11-12, 2026 at the Lagos Continental Hotel.