Africa Hotel Pipeline Reaches Record High

Africa’s Hotel Development Pipeline Reaches 123,000 Rooms, With East Africa Leading Construction Activity

The 2026 Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa report by W Hospitality Group shows continued expansion in the continent’s hotel sector, with a total pipeline of 123,846 rooms across 675 hotels and resorts. This represents year-on-year growth of 18.6%, or 12.2% on a same-store basis.

While development activity continues across many parts of the continent, the data indicates that projects remain concentrated in a relatively small number of markets. The top ten countries account for about 79% of all pipeline rooms and more than 75% of new hotel signings, reflecting their central role in shaping Africa’s hospitality development landscape.

Egypt Leads Overall Pipeline

Egypt continues to hold the largest share of hotel development projects, with 45,984 rooms across 185 properties. This represents more than one-third of the total pipeline across Africa and is more than four times the number of rooms recorded in Morocco, which ranks second with 10,606 rooms.

Together, Egypt and Morocco account for more than 45% of the continent’s hotel development pipeline. Egypt recorded 39 new hotel deals over the past year and expects 33 property openings in 2026, indicating ongoing market activity.

Trevor Ward, Managing Director of W Hospitality Group, said the report shows that hotel development across Africa is increasingly influenced by a group of active markets, with Egypt continuing to record a significant share of new signings and projects.

Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa 2026

Top 10 countries by number of rooms

East Africa Shows Strong Construction Progress

Beyond the overall number of projects, the report also highlights differences in the pace of development. East African markets are showing a high proportion of projects currently under construction.

Ethiopia and Kenya both have close to 80% of their pipeline rooms under construction, while Tanzania has 77.5% of its pipeline actively progressing.

These figures contrast with those in some markets, where a smaller share of projects has moved into the construction stage. For example, Nigeria and Cape Verde show lower levels of projects under construction compared with the overall pipeline.

Trevor Ward noted that the strong construction ratios in East Africa suggest that several projects in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania may move toward completion in the near to medium term.

Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa 2026

Top 10 countries by pipeline status

Global Hotel Groups Continue to Drive Development

At the brand level, hotel development activity remains largely concentrated among a small number of international operators. Marriott International leads the pipeline with 31,782 rooms, followed by Hilton and Accor.

Together with IHG Hotels & Resorts and Radisson Hotel Group, these five companies account for around 80% of all pipeline hotels and rooms across the continent.

Projected Openings

The report indicates that more than 65,000 rooms are expected to open between 2026 and 2027. However, historical data suggests that the number of completed projects may be lower than the total announced pipeline, reflecting the gap between planned developments and actual openings.

Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa 2026

Anticipated opening years of pipeline deals

Further insights on hotel development trends in Africa, including project pipelines, construction progress and new signings, are expected to be discussed at the Future Hospitality Summit Africa, scheduled to take place in Nairobi from 31 March to 1 April.