...Industry Leaders to Converge in Abuja to Address Recruitment, Retention, Performance and Profitability
The Nigerian hospitality industry is changing rapidly. Hotels, restaurants, serviced apartments and resorts are under increasing pressure to deliver exceptional guest experiences while managing rising operational costs, evolving customer expectations and a fiercely competitive marketplace.
But behind all these challenges is one critical factor that is sometimes overlooked: the people who deliver the experience.
It is against this backdrop that the inaugural HR in Hospitality Summit Abuja 2026 will hold on 16th October 2026 at Novare Central, Zone 5, Abuja, convened by Florence Oyelade Adedayo-Tayo (Lady FOAT), The Hospitality Coach, hospitality consultant and Founder & CEO of Philoxenia Global Hospitality.
The Summit will bring together hospitality leaders, Human Resource professionals, General Managers, managers, consultants and other industry stakeholders for a strategic conversation around the theme: PEOPLE • PERFORMANCE • PROFITABILITY.
According to the organisers, the summit is designed to go beyond conventional HR conversations to examine the direct connection between people management and business performance.
“Hospitality is a people business,” emphasises Lady FOAT. “You can have a beautiful property, excellent facilities and sophisticated technology, but if you do not have the right people, with the right attitude, competence and culture, the guest experience will ultimately suffer.”
From the front desk personnel who welcomes a guest, to the waiter who serves a meal, the housekeeper who prepares a room, the supervisor who manages a team and the General Manager who sets the tone for the organisation, people remain at the heart of hospitality.
THE RECRUITMENT CHALLENGE
The summit will challenge hospitality organisations to reconsider how they recruit. Finding people to fill vacancies may not be the greatest challenge. Finding the right people is.
Hospitality requires more than technical competence. Employees must demonstrate the right attitude, emotional intelligence, communication skills, adaptability, integrity and willingness to learn.
The question, organisers say, is no longer simply: “Can this person do the job?” It should also be: “Is this the right person for our culture, our guests and our future?”
WHY GOOD EMPLOYEES LEAVE
Retention will also be a major focus. The hospitality industry has long struggled with employee turnover, and the cost goes beyond recruitment. When experienced employees leave, organisations lose institutional knowledge, spend more on training, experience disruptions in service and place additional pressure on remaining staff.
Retention cannot be achieved by asking for loyalty alone. People want to work where they feel respected, valued, supported and given opportunities to grow.
FROM PEOPLE TO PERFORMANCE TO PROFITABILITY
The summit will examine performance management and leadership as critical drivers of profitability.
Hospitality organisations need employees who understand expectations, have competence to deliver, receive regular feedback and are held accountable fairly. Leadership also plays a critical role.
“You cannot consistently demand exceptional service from employees while creating an exceptional environment of frustration for them,” Lady FOAT notes.
At the heart of the summit is the understanding that Human Resources is not merely an administrative function. It is a business function.
Poor recruitment costs money. High turnover costs money. Low productivity, poor service and guest complaints cost money. But when the right people are recruited, properly onboarded, trained, supported and led, the impact is clear: better service, better guest experiences, stronger loyalty and ultimately, stronger business performance.
NOT JUST ANOTHER SUMMIT
The organisers are keen to distinguish the HR in Hospitality Summit from conventional conferences. It is being positioned as a transformative and practical experience that will force hospitality leaders to ask difficult but necessary questions:
Are we recruiting correctly? Are we onboarding effectively? Are we developing our employees? Why are our best people leaving? Are our managers actually leading? Does our organisational culture support the guest experience we promise?
SPEAKERS
Hospitality leaders confirmed to speak include Dr. Aliyu Badaki, President, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN); Christine Njeremani, General Manager, The Nordic Abuja; Jorge Erazo, General Manager, Lake Greenfield Hotel; Alain Salamah, General Manager, Hawthorne Suites; and Mrs. Abimbola Ogunlusi, MD, QMDCI Hospitality, among others.
The summit is inviting hotel owners, General Managers, HR professionals, hospitality managers, consultants and supervisors to participate, because ultimately, hospitality is not only about what we provide. It is about the people who provide it.
EVENT DETAILS:
Theme: People, Performance and Profitability
Date: 16th October 2026
Venue: Novare Central, Zone 5, Abuja
Convener: Florence Oyelade Adedayo-Tayo (Lady FOAT) – The Hospitality Coach
Organiser: Philoxenia Global Hospitality
For Enquiries and Registration: +234 706 9103 680
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