The managing director and chairman of White Deck Beach Resort, Shadrack Michael, has called on the government to fully support the growth of the tourism industry in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole.

Speaking in a recent interview, Michael, who said the Covid-19 pandemic inspired him to establish a luxury beach resort in Lagos, stressed the need for the government to provide infrastructure that will boost the confidence of investors.

Stuck in Nigeria due to the COVID-induced travel restrictions, the Agbor, Delta State-born real estate developer came up with a plan to make precious use of his time while in the country.

Read Also: Lagos unveils plans to become tourism hub in Africa

The disappointment he experienced during a party at a private beach resort in Lagos inspired him to think about establishing his own beach resort with a difference. That was how White Deck Beach Resort was born.

White Deck Beach Resort, a luxury beach resort located along the lush coastal region of Lagos, Nigeria, prides itself as the ultimate beach resort experience. The resort is redefining luxury hospitality by exploring the potentials and beauty of the Lagos coastal line. The property features cutting-edge hospitality architecture, a signature beach pool, and night-time entertainment, creating the best all-round indulgence.

Recounting the hurdles he had to scale while setting up the business, Michael said he did the road leading to the resort by himself.

“I know how much I paid to get electric transformers, yet we don’t have light. We run 24-hour diesel, and you know how bad that is for business.

“If you go to countries like Ghana and Togo, the seashore is a major source of income, and we can achieve that as well. The government needs to make the coastal roads accessible. A lot of people are hoping to invest in the tourism potentials of the state,” said Michael, who is also the CEO of Magnificent Gardens, a real estate company he started in South Africa before expanding its operations to Lagos.

He said a company in Durban, South Africa, reached out to him recently having seen the growth of his beach resort.

“A company reached out to me from Durban, South Africa, having seen our structure here, and are willing to partner and invest, but the government needs to make this easy by providing infrastructures that will boost the confidence of investors. This area is supposed to be the Miami of Africa,” he said.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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