Businessday April 3rd, 2006

World famous department stores, Mac-Donalds, Wal-Mart, Harrods, and Marks and Spencer, among many others, have indicated very strong interest in the N43 billion Tinapa project in Calabar, regarded as Africa's premier business resort.

The foray by these world retail market players into the Nigerian market is in response to the commitment of the Cross River State government to the completion and commissioning of the first phase of the project by December, 2006.

According to the executive governor of the state, Donald Duke, whose administration is providing the infrastructure for the project, largely funded by private sector players, Tinapa will be ready by December, 2006. The final kitting by the major shop owners and operators will however, be completed by March 2007.

When phase one of the project is completed, the specific components that will form the foundation of the development of a leisure tourism market in Nigeria would have also been firmly rooted. Some of these components that would be visible in the first phase of the project will include a mega shopping complex comprising four wholesale emporiums, 250 retail outlets, a food courts with take - away outlets, an administrative centre, a commercial sitting area, and a parking lot for approximately 3, 000 cars and coaches.

According to information from the project site, there will also be an "entertainment strip" leading out of the shopping complex.

This, BUSINESSDAY learnt, would feature a casino of international standard, five restaurants, a cinema complex with cinemas ranging from 104 to 340 seats each, a games arcade and ten-pin bowling alley, a children's play area and a fisherman's village with themed bars, night clubs and an arts and crafts village.

Duke confirmed in Calabar, weekend that the phase one aspect of the Tinapa project would be home to a 300-room budget hotel, leisure land and waterworld facility, wave pool, lazy river ride, picnic area, tennis courts, life guard tower, kiosks, change room facilities, volley ball courts, management offices, among other numerous facilities.

According to the project scheme, the second phase of the world-class business resort is envisaged to include two hotels and conference complex with a 200- room branded international four star hotel, a conference centre with a main ballroom seating up to 1,000 delegates, business and fitness centres. Also, it is designed to feature three boutique stores, expansion of leisure and entertainment facilities fitted with a quad biking track, an archery range and a fisherman's wharf, among other features.

Duke said the third phase of the mega project will cover the construction of a 150-room branded international five-star hotel, a luxury beach lodge with 30 -units, a luxury bush lodge, agritourism and ecotourism. When the Tinapa project becomes functional there would be a mutual driving and sustenance of tourism which the Cross River state government has taken with Agriculture as major footwalk in the effort to power growth and development in the state.


PS: ooohhh my dear, Nigeria will get its first Harrods, who would have thought that 10 years back!!

I look forward to seeing this on my next trip.  Here's hoping.

Seems as though most of the major developments in Nigeria are happening in the south east.

p.s.
Is the basic infrastructure i.e. well maintained roads, phone lines and electricity in place yet?

well they are building it, still everything is under construction here is the website:

http://www.tinapa.com

wow its opening 2006 !!

that is great to hear

In all honesty, I hate Wal Mart but hey, as long as it is good for Nigeria then I am happy

Harrods

_{Wake me up before you go go}

^^^^^^^
funny. are they in tinapa now, mr donald duke? yeye people.

just remembered this topic

investment destination blah blah blah

isnt it supposed to be a movie village as well?

as per topic, plans are in the works I guess.

smh