Ziba Beach Resort Opens Phase III in Lagos, Creating Jobs and Expanding Local Tourism

Ziba Beach Resort Opens Phase III in Lagos, Creating Jobs and Expanding Local Tourism

For residents and young people in the coastal community of Eti-Osa, the expansion of Ziba Beach Resort is more than another luxury facility opening in Lagos.

It also means more jobs, new skills and fresh opportunities in hospitality and tourism.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, commissioned the newly completed Phase III of Ziba Beach Resort on Friday, September 11, 2026, describing the development as a reflection of Lagos’ resilience, creativity and growing investment potential.
The Commissioner commended the investors, Mrs. Tricia Olufemi and Mr. Femi Olufemi, for choosing Lagos for the expanding resort, saying the investment would further strengthen the state’s tourism and hospitality infrastructure.
Benson-Awoyinka said Ziba represents the spirit of Lagos — a place where people from different backgrounds come together, build businesses and create opportunities.
“I see the spirit of Lagos here. I see the resilience of young people in Lagos. So when they say Nigeria has lazy youths, we should tell them no, we have resilient youths in Nigeria,” she said.
She stressed that tourism should not be measured only by the number of international visitors arriving in Lagos, but also by the ability of Nigerians to enjoy and invest in destinations within the country.
“Tourism is not just about people coming from abroad. Tourism is about us being able to consume what we are producing. Everybody here is a local, is a resident, and we do not need people coming from outside to validate this for us,” she said.
The Commissioner said the successive expansion of the Ziba brand showed growing investor confidence in Lagos, expressing optimism that more phases would follow.
While performing the ribbon-cutting ceremony, she said: “This is to Ziba 1, this is to Ziba 2, and this is to Ziba 3. And we have been promised that Ziba 4 is also coming.”
Beyond luxury and leisure, Benson-Awoyinka said the resort had also created opportunities for people in its host community through employment and skills development.
She noted that the construction and operation of the facility had opened opportunities in areas such as hospitality, food and beverage services, housekeeping and other tourism-related activities.
“This is a local community and the local community has benefited from what you have put in here — in employment and in capacity building,” she said.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the commitment of the administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu to creating an enabling environment for private-sector investment in tourism, hospitality, entertainment and the wider creative economy under the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Development Agenda.
She said stronger government-private sector collaboration would be critical to expanding tourism infrastructure, creating jobs for young people and positioning Lagos as a leading destination for leisure, business and entertainment in Africa.
Speaking on the new development, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ziba Beach Resort, Mrs. Tricia Olufemi, described the commissioning of Phase III as a major milestone for the resort.
She said the new phase expands Ziba’s over-water experience with larger grand over-water rooms, loft-style over-water accommodation and a dedicated wellness centre.
According to Olufemi, the development was driven by the belief that Nigerians should be able to enjoy world-class luxury and hospitality without leaving the country.
She recalled that when the idea of an over-water resort was first introduced, some questioned whether such a concept could work in Lagos.
But the investors remained convinced that Lagos deserved tourism destinations capable of matching the city’s energy, ambition and global outlook.
“Ziba Phase III is proof that Nigerian creativity and hospitality can compete with global standards,” she said.
Also speaking, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nedcomoaks Limited, Dr. Kennedy Okonkwo, described Ziba Beach Resort as more than a leisure destination, pointing to its contribution to employment, skills development and the local economy.
“Ziba Beach Resort is more than a resort; it is jobs, it is training, and it is proof that we can build world-class experiences right here at home,” he said.
Okonkwo said the resort was helping to change perceptions about luxury tourism in Nigeria by providing an over-water hospitality experience within easy reach of Lagos residents and visitors.
He added that the development demonstrated the ability of Nigerian entrepreneurs to create globally competitive tourism products while keeping more economic value within the domestic economy.
Ziba Beach Resort, regarded as Nigeria’s first over-water resort in Lagos, combines luxury accommodation, hospitality, wellness and leisure experiences in a distinctive waterfront setting.

By Innocent Onoh