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 From a local hotel group, Zimbabwe Hotel Limited, which re-branded as African Sun, has broken through the country’s borders to establish a premier, African prestige hotel chain spreading across theentire continent. CEO, Shingi Munyenza tells AMARA OGBUOKIRI that the hotel is set for Nigeria.
He walks fast, most times clutching a blackberry which goes to and fro his ears – like a businessman.He is smart in talking but picks his diction with caution – like every good businessman should. Shingi Munyeza,from Zimbabwe, is a consummate businessman in every sincere respect,the reason he runs one of Africa’s most prosperous hospitality groups, the African Sun Limited.
A 50-word description of African Sun Hotels group says “it is a private company domiciled in Mauritius. The group owns, manages and develops select hotels of a high calibre in sub-
Saharan Africa, including The Grace in Rosebank and The Victoria Falls Hotel, both of which have achieved world status amongst the top 100 hotels in the world.”
African Sun Limited is the fastest growing hospitality group in sub-Saharan Africa. It has interests in various African countries, namely Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Mozambique. Established in 1968, the company, then known as Zimbabwe Sun Limited, was part of Delta Corporation,but has evolved significantly from being just a Zimbabwe-based hospitality management company to a global hospitality exuding authentic African flavour.
What makes news in Nigeria is that this prestigious hotel group’s inroad into the country. “Nigeria is the biggest market in Africa” Shingi says. Unlike most Nigerian businessmen who would hide their target consumers, Shingi is fast to note that his hotel target the Oil Industry and businesses in Nigeria.
“Because of fast growth in the oil business, Nigeria and most other African states need about four to five more capacity in the hotel business.
African Sun now operates under management contract, arguably Nigeria’s African Sun Hotels shine across Africa top resort, Obudu Ranch Resort. This exclusive cattle ranch-cum-resort is on the border of Cameroon and is a highly popular holiday destination for the world’s wealthy. In the coming months the group will include two other management contracts of properties in Nigeria: the 200 room Holiday Inn Kano, Nigeria’s third largest city, and an 18-room boutique hotel, Clear Essence Spa & Wellness Centre, in Ikoyi Lagos.
According to Shingi, about ten projects are set to roll out in Nigeria soon.First among these is the Ikoyi Spa and Wellness Centre which will be launched in June 2008.
Like every new business venture,entering Nigeria was not easy. The project has taken almost four years to actualize with the first three years spent on research and environment
survey. Optimism however looms on Shingi’s face as he convinces everyone that Nigeria is the place to go. The basic problems of the Nigerian industry– infrastructure does not seem a big hindrance to Shingi. “We have managed hotels in worse environments” he says.
A good sound of hope this is, but one that also makes one worry how African a hotel can be to survive where non-africans have sometimes failed.
What quality of service can be ensured in such establishment? And the ultimate question – who are the real the target market? He laughs. Black in Shingi’s definition does not collocate with failure but with great heights achieved with high acumen and resilience. These of course can only lift a young man of …to such great height in the hospitality
industry which has for long seemed an exclusive of whites. With his 21 years old experience in the hotel industry, Shingi has under his governorship, world-class hotels like The Grace Hotel, Rosebank,The Victoria Fall Hotel, Zimbabwe,The Kingdom Hotel, at Victoria Falls, the Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria Falls, Hwange Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe,Carribean Bay, The Great Zimbabwe hotel among others.
Shingi Munyeza, is a holder of a Bachelor in Accounting Sciences degree as well as a marketing qualification from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. He has experience in business development gained while working at meat processing company Colcom. While he excelled in the accounting field, Shingi’s love of marketing is highly contributory to his success.
Under his leadership, African Sun Limited was transformed from a loss making position to a blue-chip company that has been making profits since 2003 and pays regular dividends to its
shareholders. With visionary insight,Shingi saw the advantage of widening African Sun’s horizon’s enormous tourism potential by encompassing Africa in the revitalization of the
hospitality industry continent-wide, and managed to secure funding of US$ 25 million to facilitate this initiative. |
