When it comes to entrepreneurship in Nigeria, one of the names that must be on that list is Mark Essien. The handsome-looking CEO of Hotels.ng was one of the early entrepreneurs who took advantage of the then teething Nigerian tech ecosystem to establish a viable and scalable business. Today, Hotels.ng is a leading travel agency in Nigeria. Techawk had an exclusive interview with Essien. He told us about his motivation for setting up Hotels.ng, shared his thoughts about Nigeria’s hospitality industry and much more.
Can you tell us about Hotels.ng and what it has to offer Nigerians?
Simply put, Hotels.ng is an online travel agency. We help connect everyone (not just Nigerians) with hotels across the country.
What is the motivation behind setting up Hotels.ng?
In the period leading up to me founding Hotels.ng, several new startups were coming up and a lot of people were looking for new ideas in untapped markets. Around that time, I observed that there was a lot of potential for travel, especially as there was limited tech developed around that. This was about when I was rounding up with my M.Sc. When I was through, I returned to Nigeria to build the ideas I had for hotels.ng.
How will you describe the reception of Hotels.ng by Nigerians so far?
The reception has been great. Even back before we officially launched & started processing bookings.
Then, online services were not as popular with Nigerians as they are today. Yet, we were getting a ton of requests. Since then, people have only become more open to using the services we provide.
Then, online services were not as popular with Nigerians as they are today. Yet, we were getting a ton of requests. Since then, people have only become more open to using the services we provide.
Yes, I think so. I say this because there are several countries that depend on tourism for over 25% of their annual GDP. Countries like Macau get 46.7% of their GDP from tourism alone. Nigeria has all it takes to reap big benefits from the hospitality sector. We have relatively warm weather year round, minimum risk of natural disasters and several natural attractions. With the right management, these could go a long way to diversify our economy.
You have been running Hotels.ng since 2013, what has kept you going since then? If you were not running Hotels.ng, what will you be doing?
I like to think that if I wasn’t running hotels.ng, I would be tackling some other problem using tech and innovation. Either that or I’d have been a policeman.
What do you think about competition in the online travel booking sector?
I see competition as a good thing. It drives innovation in all sectors. For consumers, competition means they get the best service available. While for businesses, it encourages evolution and the development and adoption of new ideas and approaches to solving problems better.
Do you think the hospitality sector is a viable tool for diversifying the Nigerian economy?
Yes, I think so. I say this because there are several countries that depend on tourism for over 25% of their annual GDP. Countries like Macau get 46.7% of their GDP from tourism alone. Nigeria has all it takes to reap big benefits from the hospitality sector. We have relatively warm weather year round, minimum risk of natural disasters and several natural attractions. With the right management, these could go a long way to diversify our economy.
What are the challenges of running your startup in Nigeria? Where do you see Hotels.ng in the next five years?
The challenges are numerous. From the cost of generating electricity to dealing with roadblocks caused by the frequency of financial fraud and the measures put in place to curtail that. In the next five years, I see Hotels.ng being a major player in the global travel industry.
How will you describe the Nigerian startup space?
It is full of potential. Recently, we’ve had some brilliant young minds taking on big challenges.
What advice do you have for budding entrepreneurs?
I meet a lot of entrepreneurs who say they need funds to start working on some ‘brilliant idea; they have and I can rarely justify their desire to invest huge sums of cash into an untested idea. Starting small is a good thing. It will save you from investing heavy resources and time into an idea that would never work. Also, stay determined to succeed and see failures as an avenue to learn.
Editor, Techawkng.com. I am also a freelancer, part-time copywriter and I love solitude. Send us an email-admin@techawkng.com.
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