Travel/Tourism
78% Nigerian Travellers Make Bookings via Mobile Phones—Survey
**As Nigeria Ranks 5th in 2018 Digital Traveller Rankings
By Dipo Olowookere
A new research conducted by world’s leading global commerce platform, Tracelport, has placed Nigeria 5th globally in the 2018 Digital Traveller Rankings, ahead of all the European and North American countries surveyed.
According to the research, a major finding of the 2018 Global Digital Traveller Research was that Nigerian travellers were forward-thinking and ready to embrace new technologies more readily than their counterparts from Europe and other parts of the world.
In the independent global travel survey, which covered 16,200 respondents from 25 countries including Nigeria, it was discovered that Nigerian travellers were digital-savvy, mobile native and ready to embrace new technology for a seamless travel experience.
For instance, Nigerian travellers are heavily reliant on their mobile phones with 85 percent of travellers in Nigeria revealing that they use their smartphones when researching their trips, and 78 percent using their phones to make bookings.
More than half of all travellers (66 percent) also said they would be lost without their smart phones, and 74 percent worry about their technology failing, or their phones running out of battery power.
Nigerian travellers were the most likely of those surveyed to want to share their biometrics, to facilitate a better travel experience, according to the report.
Flight related mobile apps have also become a critical feature for Nigerian travellers. They use multiple apps (an average of 13.6) when researching and booking a trip.
These apps are used to search and book flights (82 percent), for flight alerts (75 percent) and for mobile check-ins (74 percent).
Almost half of all travellers (46 percent) would prefer to see their trip itinerary (flights, hotels, trains, etc.) in one place, while 38 percent report that they find it unsatisfying to book everything separately.
In the study, 45 percent prefer to check-in to a hotel via a mobile app. This demonstrates a clear appetite to work with travel providers which can offer a consolidated digital experience.
According to the report, not only are Nigerian travellers becoming more digitally savvy, they are actually now more discerning.
For instance, 76 percent of them think that digital boarding passes make travel much easier, while 68 percent avoid hotels that charge for Wi-Fi. Clearly free Wi-Fi has gone from a marketing opportunity to an expected necessity for most travellers.
When it comes to payments, a large number (72 percent) of travellers in Nigeria have used a digital wallet or payment app (e.g. Apple Pay, Alipay, etc.) at some point while travelling, while 31 percent use them all the time.
The report shows that review sites such as TripAdvisor tend to have a big influence on Nigerian travellers (81 percent), with 55 percent of respondents saying that it actually has the greatest influence over their travel choices. For travel research, 82 percent of the respondents rely on videos and photos posted by friends on social media.
Commenting, Travelport’s Managing Director for Africa, Mr Guido Verweij, stated that, “The 2018 Global Digital Traveller Research clearly shows that demand from Nigerian travellers for digital solutions that improve their travel experience is sky high. This is only going to escalate further in the years to come, so if you work in the travel industry and don’t already have a digital engagement plan, it’s time to get one!”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced plans to introduce V-Pass, a biometric facial recognition system designed to make passenger processing faster, safer and more seamless across its domestic airports.
According to FAAN, the new technology will allow passengers to verify their identities through facial recognition after a one-time enrolment, reducing reliance on physical identification documents and shortening queues through automated electronic gates.
The authority said the system is expected to enhance airport security while improving the overall travel experience for domestic passengers.
FAAN added that V-Pass has been developed with data privacy at its core and is compliant with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
The agency described the initiative as part of its commitment to delivering smarter, technology-driven airport services and said nationwide sensitisation and rollout updates would be announced in due course.
Airports in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates already deploy facial recognition technology for processes such as check-in, security screening, immigration and boarding, so the move also aligns Nigeria’s aviation sector with a growing global trend towards contactless travel.
These systems have been adopted to improve operational efficiency, strengthen security and enhance the overall passenger experience.
For FAAN, the deployment of V-Pass forms part of its broader digital transformation agenda aimed at modernising airport operations and accommodating rising passenger traffic.
Experts say that beyond improving convenience, the authority expects the biometric platform to strengthen identity verification, reduce the risk of impersonation and support more efficient airport security, while maintaining compliance with data protection.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 14.12 per cent stake in Ikeja Hotel Plc has been acquired by Honeywell Group Limited, a notice on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited has revealed.
Honeywell Group took up the part of the hospitality firm through one of its affiliates known as HGL Real Estate Limited.
Ikeja Hotel, in the disclosure filed with the NGX on July 2, 2026, said the stake comprised 305,323,525 units of its equities.
“Ikeja Hotel hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the general public that it has received notification from HGL Real Estate Limited, an affiliate of Honeywell Group Limited, that it has acquired 305,323,525 units of Ikeja Hotel Plc’s shares, representing 14.12 per cent shareholding in the company,” the notice stated.
Ikeja Hotel is one of Nigeria’s leading hospitality investment and hotel management companies with premium hospitality assets.
It operates two leading hospitality organisations in Lagos, the Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Balmoral Convention Centre.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 10 hospitality establishments, including hotels and restaurants, were sealed on Wednesday by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The affected businesses are located in different locations in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the metropolis, Business Post learned from a statement from the agency.
It was stated that they were sealed by LASEPA for persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and several opportunities to comply with the agency’s directives.
According to the notice, the enforcement exercise was carried out in line with the directives of the Lagos State government to ensure strict compliance with environmental laws and to safeguard public health.
The affected facilities were said to have breached various environmental regulations, including noise pollution, air pollution, unlawful discharge of untreated effluent, obstruction of official duties, among others.
LASEPA closed the premises of Granduer Meridian at Obasa Akiniyi Street, Oluwaga, Ipaja for non-compliance with the agency’s directives; Lasola (Spazio Bar), located on Ipaja Road, Fatolu Bus Stop, Ipaja, was sealed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives; Millennium Restaurant, located at Gate Bus Stop, Ipaja, Ayobo, was shut down for non-compliance with directives; O2 Exquisite Suites & Tower on Jimoh Akinremi Street, Jimoh Bus Stop, Akowonjo, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; and Chirozz Hotel & Suites, located on Samuel Street, Akowonjo, by Vulcanizer Bus Stop, Egbeda, was closed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives.
In addition, House 7 Hotel, located at Remi Akande Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with LASEPA’s directives; House 48 on Isiba Oluwo Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; Exclusive Hotel, located at Ishan Kimishe, Akesan Bus Stop, was shut down by non-compliance with directives; Sabola Ventures Limited, Iocated at Km 11, LASU–Isheri Road, Igando, was shut down for operating without evidence of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), and discharging untreated effluent into public drains; and City Int’l Motel, located at Chief Olu-Adegbite Street, off Oladun Street, Council Bus Stop, Idimu, was sealed for non-compliance with directives.
