ajani has already positioned itself as a leading marketplace for hotels in Oyo State. Our team recently visited the newly renovated Premier Hotel Ibadan, officially commissioned on Thursday, 25 June 2026. The landmark event brought together President Bola Tinubu and the governors of the six Southwest states. Government officials, traditional rulers, business leaders and other dignitaries also attended.
President Tinubu served as Special Guest of Honor. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented him at the ceremony. Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde served as Chief Host, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, led the other regional governors to the ceremony. They included Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State. Also present were Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State and Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to the ceremony.
The event marked the completion of Premier Hotel Ibadan’s extensive redevelopment by Odu’a Investment Company Limited. The company carried out the project through its joint venture subsidiary, Premier Legacy Limited. It incorporated specifically to reposition and revitalise the historic property.
Located on Mokola Hill, the facility has grown from 87 rooms to 154 rooms as an ultra-modern five-star hotel. Its contemporary amenities meet international hospitality standards while preserving the building’s historic character.
Stakeholders are celebrating the commissioning of Premier Hotel Ibadan as a major milestone. They see it as a step toward revitalizing strategic public assets. It also repositions Oyo State as a leading destination for tourism, investment and business. Guests described the project as a symbol of regional collaboration and a renewed commitment to economic growth across the Southwest
The former Western Region Government established the hotel through the Western Nigeria Development Corporation. The project formed part of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s industrialization agenda. The government commissioned the hotel in 1963 under the name WNTV/WTBS (Western Nigeria Television/Western Nigeria Broadcasting Services) Hotel. It complemented the operations of Western Nigeria Television
It provided quality accommodation for government officials, business executives, diplomats and foreign visitors. Over the decades, it became one of Ibadan’s most recognizable landmarks, hosting presidents, governors, diplomats, entertainers and distinguished visitors before years of inactivity took their toll on its operations.
Speaking at the event, Akume described the occasion as a milestone for the six Southwest states that jointly own Odu’a Investment Company. He said the project showed what vision, collaboration and long-term investment. Governor Makinde’s representative noted that the hotel was more than a building, it was a symbol of collective history that had occupied a special place in the social, economic and cultural life of the region.
Odu’a Investment Company Chairman, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, said the commissioning marked the rebirth of one of Nigeria’s most historic hospitality assets. Group Managing Director Abdulrahman Yinusa announced that the hotel will become fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2026. He projected 600 direct jobs and 2,500 indirect employment opportunities from the project. Ashiru also revealed plans to redevelop other Odu’a hospitality assets, including Lagos Airport Hotel and Lafia Hotel in Ibadan.
The visit also helped us to see that stakeholders believe the revitalised hotel will contribute significantly to Oyo State’s economy through job creation, increased tourism and higher internally generated revenue, while strengthening the state’s capacity to host conferences, corporate events and international gatherings.
For many residents of Ibadan, the commissioning represented more than the unveiling of a renovated building. It signified the return of a landmark that has shaped the city’s hospitality landscape for generations and rekindled memories of an era when Premier Hotel stood as a premier destination for all who passed through the ancient city.
