President Bola Tinubu has commissioned the newly reconstructed ultramodern Premier Hotel in Ibadan, marking what officials described as the rebirth of one of Nigeria's most iconic hospitality assets and setting the stage for full commercial operations scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the president gave the charge that iconic structures, heritage sites and historical landmarks should be preserved by all means.
According to him, all enablers, including a conducive environment where shared vision and strategic investment meet, would continue to drive tourism and industrialization in the country.
The facility, sited on Mokola Hill in Ibadan, is a 60-year-old hotel that once served as the epicentre of hospitality in the southwest of Nigeria before its reconstruction and modernization.
Speakers at the commissioning stressed that the transformation of the hotel was a reminder that heritage should not be abandoned to the passage of time, but rather preserved, renewed and adapted to meet contemporary realities.
Speaking on behalf of the chairman of the Southwest Governors Forum, the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, described the project as a restoration of an important part of Nigeria's national identity and one of the most significant hospitality investments in the southwest that should be given a pride of place.
The group chairman of Odua Investment Company Limited, Bimbo Ashiri, gave a historical background of the Premier Hotel, describing it as a heritage asset, as the redeveloped property prepares for full commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2026.