Already evident for several years, the dynamic of hotel development in Africa is not about to stop. According to W Hospitality, the number of projects identified in 2026 saw a rise of 12.2 % compared to 2025. This means a pipeline of 675 hotels and resorts with just over 120,000 rooms that will strengthen the offering across the continent.
In the North, Egypt, driven both by Red Sea leisure destinations and the expansion of Greater Cairo – the metropolitan area most sought after by hotel developers – remains by far the most prolific country with 185 hotels expected. Egypt is one of the most exciting markets for hotel investment in the world right now, and not just on an African scale. », observes Matthew Weihs, Growth Director at The Bench.
Coming up behind, with 75 establishments in the pipeline, Morocco is benefiting from the attractiveness of its flagship destinations, Casablanca and Marrakech – increasingly popular for MICE events – but above all from the country's tourism strategy, which aims for 26 million tourists by 2030, coinciding with the hosting of the Football World Cup. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria, with 57 hotels planned, accounts for the majority of future developments, ahead of Kenya (35), Ethiopia (34), South Africa (31), Tanzania (29) and Ghana (26).
If the "big five" – Accor, Hilton, IHG, Marriott, and Radisson – concentrate 70 % of current projects, the continent is seeing new ambitions arise. Among them are those of Hyatt, which has accelerated its development on the continent in recent years with luxurious Park Hyatts in Johannesburg and Marrakech, a Hyatt Centric in Cairo, Hyatt Regencies in Nairobi and Harare, and soon to add Lagos to its list of destinations.
Ambitious outsiders
For its part, Best Western, which has only some twenty hotels across the continent, has made Morocco a territory for conquest by creating a Moroccan subsidiary through its BWH Hotels France network, with the aim of reaching 25 hotels by 2030. “ The idea is to network the entire country as we have done in France, and not to concentrate on two or three destinations. , we Olivier Cohn recently explained, DG of BWH Hotels France. Eight hotels in Casablanca, Marrakech, Ouirgane and Ouarzazate have already been validated and will join the network this year.
In parallel, Wytze van den Berg, Senior Vice President of International Operations at BWH Hotels, stated that he was actively working On a dozen projects in Egypt Ethiopia and Tanzania are also seen as promising destinations, in addition to Nigeria, where two openings are planned for 2026: the Best Western Premier McDons Skye and the Best Western Plus Ambience Ikeja.
In the same way as Best Western or Hyatt, Asian groups are eyeing the continent. Minor Hotels, previously present with its luxury safari-focused brand Elewana Collection, is beginning its expansion into the continent's metropolises with a NH Collection in Accra by 2030, following the success of the NH Johannesburg Sandton, in addition to a resort on the island of Pemba, Tanzania.
The world leader in long-stay hotels, Singaporean group Ascott, is playing on the potential for diversifying its offerings and opening serviced apartments in the continent's major cities. Ascott thus began its implantation in Morocco last year with the opening of Citadines Almaz Casablanca, a precursor to six other establishments planned by 2028, notably other Citadines in Casablanca, but also in Marrakech and Tangier. In parallel, this expansion is spreading to the south of the continent with serviced apartments expected in Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Lagos, Nairobi, and Yaoundé in the next two years.
Accor and Marriott, the biggest of the big five
But, naturally, the majority of future establishments proposed to business travellers on the African continent will be by the "big five". First and foremost, the Marriott group, which alone has a quarter of the projects underway on the continent with 180 hotels expected. That's almost as many as Hilton and Accor combined, its followers on the podium for development in Africa with 109 and 88 establishments in project respectively. And yet, this figure announced by W Hospitality probably does not take into account the framework agreement recently signed between The First Group Hospitality and MIDROC Investment for the development of around ten new hotels in Ethiopia by 2031.
The American hotelier, widely represented in English-speaking Africa since the acquisition of the South African group Protea in 2014, turned towards West Africa at the end of 2024 with the inauguration of the Courtyard by Marriott Dakar DiamniadioIn Senegal. Other firsts, this time at the end of 2025, the group's arrival in Kinshasa with its Protea and Four Points by Sheraton brands and, in parallel, the opening of the Sheraton Nouakchott. An urban resort with 200 rooms and suites and 2,600 m² of space for meetings and events, which saw the arrival of the first international hotel brand in Mauritania. More recently, in April, the American group also made its debut in Madagascar with a Delta hotel in the business district of Antananarivo. While waiting for a luxurious EDITION at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa, by the end of the year.
And of course, Marriott is no exception. Like Best Western, the American group is aiming for a network of about thirty establishments in Morocco. Already boasting 10 hotels in Rabat, Marrakech, Fès, Tamuda Bay and Casablanca, Marriott will diversify its presence with the introduction of the Four Points by Sheraton, Moxy, Residence Inn, and AC by Marriott brands in Casablanca by 2027. This brings them closer, but still at a distance, to Accor's offering in the Cherifian kingdom, which already boasts over forty hotels, with more to come.
Indeed, although the French group has sold its stake in the capital of the leading Moroccan group, Risma, the ties have not slackened; quite the contrary. Their collaboration has even strengthened since early April, with several joint projects: the creation of a training academy, a renovation and repositioning programme for existing hotel establishments, and the opening of a Sofitel in Tangier in 2027.
By then, the French group will have made other key openings on the continent, notably in Morocco with the Pullman Casablanca Bouskoura and a Mama Shelter, still in the Moroccan economic capitalThe lifestyle brand is also expected soon in the far south of the continent, at the Cape, with a 127-room hotel and 68 residences in the heart of the business district, featuring meeting rooms and co-working spaces. Another major development is a combined Ibis Styles and Adagio in Abidjan, in A property complex in the Cocody districtIn anticipation of the renaissance of the Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire, whose transformation is part of the brand's refurbishment programme, renovations to the main building have just been completed.
The general outlook remains positive, supported by improved connectivity, leading to an increase in arrivals, and long-term confidence in the continent's potential. Agnès Roquefort, chief development officer for Luxury and Lifestyle brands, specified, citing Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and South Africa as the most active markets. For its Luxury and Lifestyle brands, the Group is focusing on the capitals of the continent, as well as major cities like Dakar, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Lagos, Abuja and Nairobi. Accor is also developing its offering in tourist destinations such as Zanzibar and Senegal, and is responding to the growing demand for luxury safari lodges, mainly in Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.
The 100 mark for Hilton and Radisson
" Sub-Saharan Africa remains a strategically priority growth region for Hilton, where we continue to see strong long-term potential, driven by the rise of economic hubs, improving connectivity, and growing investment in tourism infrastructure. " also underlines Carlos Khneisser, Hilton Group's development director for the Middle East and Africa.
Building on this observation, Hilton plans to open more than 100 hotels in the medium term, more than half of which will be in sub-Saharan Africa, to reach 180 establishments across the continent. Antananarivo in Madagascar, N’Djamena in Chad, Lusaka in Zambia, Cotonou in Benin, Lomé in Togo, Accra in Ghana: business travellers loyal to the American group will soon find a base in all these destinations.
Similarly, after the opening of a Hilton in Brazzaville, in the tallest skyscraper in the Congo, the brand will explore other destinations such as Gabon, as part of the development of a new district in Libreville. Also expected in the Gabonese capital, its Hilton Garden Inn brand will open this year at Freetown airport, in Sierra Leone, but also in the coming years at Luanda airport in Angola. Not to mention its expansion in Morocco, where Hilton intends to open around fifteen hotels under ten brands in the coming years with Tapestry Collection hotels in Casablanca and Chefchaouen, a Curio Collection in Marrakech and several business-oriented DoubleTree by Hilton hotels, notably in Tetouan and Nador. All of this comes in addition to the recent opening of Waldorf Astoria Rabat Saléin one of the continent's tallest skyscrapers.
Like Hilton, the Radisson group has a busy opening schedule to reach the 100-hotel mark in Africa. With new destinations in preparation in Zimbabwe, at Victoria Falls, but also in the Democratic Republic of Congo with a Radisson Blu in Kinshasa and three establishments in Lubumbashi, the "copper capital", with two Radisson hotels and a Radisson Blu Apartments residence.
The group will also strengthen its presence in Nigeria, increasing its number of hotels from four to 13 soon. This expansion will not only be in Lagos, where a luxurious Radisson Collection is expected by 2029, but will also include the capital, Abuja, and secondary cities such as Aba and Yenagoa.
According to Elie Younes, Radisson's Global Chief Development Officer, his group's growth is focused on strengthening its presence in South Africa. with a concrete pipeline under construction "and a geographical concentration in Nigeria and Morocco With many business hotel openings on the horizon, including the Radisson Blu Hotel & Conference Centre Casablanca Bouskoura, the Radisson Hotel & Apartments Rabat Technopolis, as well as a Radisson Blu resort in Marrakech, expected in 2028.
