Keeping the business afloat: Entrepreneurship in the small independent hotel sector in Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide first-hand experiences of running a hotel business in Nigeria from the perspective of an entrepreneur.

Design/methodology/approach

An informal interview was carried out via email. Max Menkiti is an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry with extensive experience in bootstrap start-ups and operations in the UK and Nigeria. He is currently the Director of Millennium Apartments and Studios in Lagos. Before that, he developed and operated the @venue series of boutique hotels. Max has over 11 years experience in the hospitality industry in Nigeria.

Findings

The interview offers valuable insights for researchers in hospitality industry entrepreneurship so as to understand the rationale for business decisions.

Originality/value

The backdrop for this paper is the business environment in Nigeria. The transcript makes available an insider’s view of the number and form of issues that entrepreneurs face in emerging economies.

Citation

Menkiti, M. and Ward, T. (2016), "Keeping the business afloat: Entrepreneurship in the small independent hotel sector in Nigeria", Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 216-220. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-11-2015-0045