TO further equip Nigerian hospitality industry with qualified professionals, and possibly foster international goodwill for young Nigerians in the hospitality sector; Promoters of African Hospitality Academy (AHA), has disclosed its readiness to commence class in January 2016.

Speaking at the unveiling of the students in Lagos, proprietor of the Academy and Chairman of Golden Tulip West Africa Limited, Amaechi Ndili, said the AHA would serve as a learning ground for graduates interested in hospitality business and help redefine the Nigerian hospital industry with well-trained professionals.

He said, “The African Hospitality Academy will be the leading hotel and hospitality academy in Nigeria and sub-saharan African. It has partnered with Hotel, School The Hague, Netherlands, leading hotel and hospitality institutions in the world. We want train young, ambitious and enterprise Africans to become leaders in the hospitality industry across Africa and in the world.”

According to Ndili: “The academy will be located at the Golden Tulip Festac, Lagos, and would encompass practical, academic and recreational trainings.
Students will be house at the Golden Tulip Hotel Festac, Lagos, to enable them have full grasp of the programme,” he disclosed.

On what stands the academy out, Ndili said, the training will entail three days of academic work and two days of practical activities.

He further explained that the teaching delivery will encompass both traditional and technology driven, stressing that students must be technologically savvy, and must have the necessary technological gadgets such as iPad, and computers.
“Courses to be offered will be spread across four semesters, which will run for 18 months, and the students have access to loan facilities”.

But the good part of the academy apart from it being residential is that the students are guaranteed job placements after graduation.

“We think about graduates across Africa, so we will be teaching our students French. In the two-year period, we fund the students to be bi-lingual. Also, we place our graduates in the industry, which most academies around lack. We will place our graduates in big career levels.”