By Omololu Olumuyiwa
The Landmark Events Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria, the venue of Mega Horeca 2026 are vibrant with an electrifying mix of hospitality industry professionals, innovators, and visionaries.
The 5th edition of the ongoing flagship hospitality trade show has firmly established itself as a strategic platform for the Hotel, Restaurant, and Café sector across West Africa and beyond.
Since the event kicked off on 10 February, the event has welcomed a diverse array of exhibitors showcasing next-generation products and services.
Attendees have been greeted by leading global and regional brands presenting the “next wave of hospitality innovation” including hotel equipment & supplies, restaurant and café solutions, kitchen and catering technologies, food and beverage processing, coffee and bakery products, and state-of-the-art refrigeration and packaging systems.
The event further amplifies the opportunities for collaboration between mainstream hospitality and unlocking fresh avenues for the trade.
Beyond the exhibition floor, Mega Horeca’s rich conference program has become a cornerstone of the 2026 experience, featuring panel sessions that dig deep into the most pressing themes shaping the hospitality landscape.
During the panel session held on Thursday, 11 February, 2026 on the topic “Building a Future-Ready Hospitality Workforce: Skills, Ethics & Leadership” moderated by Olugbenga Sunday, Convener, Hotel Managers Conference Africa (HMCA).
The panelists of this session highlights the imperative of cultivating talent equipped to thrive in a future where hospitality is increasingly tech-savvy, ethically grounded, and internationally interconnected.
In his contributions, Chairperson, National Technical/Mirror Committee on Tourism and Related Services, Prof. Wasiu Babalola said “Professionalism is not negotiable towards the standardization and growth of our industry. No matter what is being added to it in the name of innovation, modernity etc, the core principles of what hospitality professionalism never changes”
“Practitioners should start looking at succession planning in their business towards creating a business that outlines them”, Prof Babalola added.
Among the panelists are Mr. Adedayo Adesugba FIH, Vice President, Association of Tourism & Hospitality Consultants in Nigeria (ATHCON); Mr. Olufemi Falebita FIH, Chairman, Institute of Hospitality, UK – Nigeria Region (IoH), Principal Hospitality Consultant, The Funkeo Company, Mrs. Funke Olusoga-Ogunlade and Mr. Oluwaseyi Onilenla, Faculty Member, Hospitality Business School (HBS).
In recognition of their outstanding participation, the moderators and speakers of the panel session were presented with Awards of Appreciation for their insightful contributions to the discourse at Mega Horeca 2026.
The honors celebrated their expertise, thought leadership, and commitment to advancing meaningful conversations within the hospitality industry.
On the show floor, exhibitors are not just displaying products, they are illustrating solutions to real-world challenges facing the industry today.
In his remarks as the organisers, Country Manager-Nigeria, ElanExpo, Jude Chime disclosed that Mega HORECA 2026 is more than a trade show, it is a living testament to the dynamism of the hospitality ecosystem in West Africa.
He said further, “In an era where customer expectations are increasingly sophisticated and technology is redefining service delivery, the event drives Innovation adoption, from digital tools to food tech and sustainable practices; Knowledge transfer, through expert panels and real conversations about tomorrow’s challenges”.
“One of the most significant impacts of Mega Horeca 2026 is its role as a powerful engine for market expansion. By bringing together manufacturers, distributors, service providers, investors, and hospitality operators under one roof, the event creates a dynamic marketplace where business growth moves from possibility to reality”, Chime concluded.
For many exhibitors, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, Mega HORECA offers immediate exposure to a concentrated audience of decision-makers within Nigeria’s hospitality industry.
Hotel owners, restaurant chains, café operators, catering companies, procurement managers, and hospitality consultants attend the event specifically to source new products and partnerships.
As the Mega Horeca 2026 comes to an end today, visitors and participants have had the opportunity to experience live demos, engage directly with innovators, and forge connections that could very well catalyze the next major partnerships in African hospitality.
