The federal government has signed a lease agreement with Delborough Hotel for the construction of a seven-star luxury property at the Arts Village in Abuja, formalising a partnership that officials described as a major step toward diversifying the Nigerian economy through high-end tourism and demonstrating that world-class hospitality could be conceived, built, and owned by Nigerians.
The agreement was sealed between the National Council for Arts and Culture and Stanel Group Chairman Dr. Stanley Uzochukwu, owner of the Delborough brand, at a signing ceremony in Abuja attended by senior government officials and tourism sector stakeholders.
Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, described the deal as giving practical expression to President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the tourism industry be deployed as a vehicle for economic diversification. She praised the Delborough brand as evidence that Nigerians could create hospitality experiences comparable to the finest establishments anywhere in the world, drawing a direct comparison between the existing Delborough Hotel in Lagos and premier seven-star properties in Dubai.
She argued that positioning the brand in the nation’s capital was an essential step in building credibility for its eventual international expansion. “Before you take the brand internationally, you have to be able to show the world that you as a Nigerian have taken ownership of it. And the easiest way to do that is to bring it into the capital city of Nigeria,” she said.
Uzochukwu described the signing as a recognition of years of institutional investment and private sector effort, expressing confidence that the Abuja property would generate employment, attract business visitors, and strengthen Nigeria’s reputation as a serious tourism destination capable of competing on the global stage.
