The Lagos Continental Hotel has unveiled a new training academy to equip young Nigerians and hospitality workers with skills, mentorship, and career development opportunities.
The hotel unveiled the facility during a media tour in Lagos on Tuesday, describing the initiative as part of its long-term commitment to human capital development and youth empowerment in Nigeria’s hospitality sector.
Speaking during the tour, the General Manager of Lagos Continental Hotel, Christoph Schleissing, said the facility will help the hotel nurture talent, improve service delivery, and create opportunities for young people seeking careers in hospitality.
“I believe the Lagos Continental Hotel is the only hotel in Nigeria with a dedicated training academy. This training academy is brand new, spread over 140 square metres, has two training rooms, and I think it’s a real big step forward into the right future,” Schleissing said.
He added that the academy represented an investment in people rather than infrastructure alone, saying, “It’s all about you; it’s not about me, it’s about us and how we are going to grow and how we become better every single day. This is a very important step towards it.”
The Lagos Continental Hotel General Manager added that the academy features an interactive learning system, about 80 seats in the main training area, and an additional boardroom for smaller sessions such as leadership and language classes.
“We didn’t spare any cost; it’s not about money, it’s about the future, and it’s about your development,” Schleissing added.
The hotel said the academy would focus on training, facilitation, coaching, leadership, and innovation, while also promoting professionalism, integrity, curiosity, and knowledge-sharing among workers.
Schleissing explained that the academy would deliver tailored training programmes based on identified operational gaps within the organisation.
“We don’t just give training because we feel someone needs training. We go to the teams. We have conversations. We identify the pain points and areas of improvement needed for targets. Once we know those things, we liaise with team leaders and stakeholders to create tailored training that tackles the problems experienced within the various units,” Schleissing said.
He noted that the facility will initially cater for permanent and casual workers, as well as third-party contractors linked to the hotel.
“We are mainly concentrating on our team members and casual team members. A casual team member should be trained to the same standard as a fixed team member. In addition, all our third-party contractors who have to go through security and safety briefings will also be trained in this academy,” Schleissing said.
The general manager said the long-term goal of the initiative was to contribute to youth development and economic inclusion in Nigeria.
“The long-term plan is that we want to give back to the community in which we are operating. We want to merge ourselves fully into Lagos and Nigeria and give the young generation a perspective and a goal to work for a company like Lagos Continental,” Schleissing said.
He added, “The youth today, particularly here in Nigeria and Africa in general, have great potential. We want to make sure that we play our part to unlock that potential with the support, assistance, training, and other facilities we are providing so that everybody can grow in a safe, secure, and stimulating environment.”
Schleissing also disclosed that the hotel expanded its staff accommodation capacity from 28 beds to more than 100 beds through the newly commissioned dormitory facility.
“Going from 28 beds to over 100 beds is a game changer because it makes us operational-wise more flexible when it comes to delivering excellent service to our clients,” Schleissing stated.
The Cluster Director, Human Resources, Continental Hotel Group, Niyi Agoro, described the academy and dormitory project as a major milestone in workforce development and employee welfare.
“I am profoundly honoured to witness the official commissioning of the new Training Academy and Staff Dormitory at Lagos Continental Hotel, a landmark achievement that reflects our steadfast commitment to human capital development, employee welfare, and operational excellence,” he said.
Agoro noted that the investment reflects a broader vision focused on learning, workforce empowerment, and talent sustainability.
“This significant investment goes beyond physical infrastructure; it represents a transformative vision centred on continuous learning, workforce empowerment, talent sustainability, and enhancement of the overall employee experience,” Agoro stated.
He commended the hotel’s ownership and management for supporting the project, stating, “This milestone stands as a testament to what can be accomplished through visionary leadership, purposeful investment in people, and a shared commitment to organisational growth and excellence.”
The hotel said the Lagos Continental Training Academy is staffed by Assistant Training Manager, Williams Umeh, Training Coordinator, Emmanuel King; and Training Executive, Williams Shaibu, all of whom are associates of the Nigerian Institute of Training and Development.
