Africa’s hotel development pipeline has reached a historic high, with 123,846 rooms planned across 675 hotels and resorts, according to the 2026 Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa report by W Hospitality Group.

The figures represent year-on-year growth of 18.6 percent across the continent’s branded hotel pipeline, or 12.2 percent on a same-store basis. The data underline continued confidence from global hospitality groups in Africa’s long-term tourism and business travel potential.

However, the report also reveals that development activity is becoming increasingly concentrated in a small group of dominant markets. The top ten countries now account for 79 percent of all pipeline rooms and more than 75 percent of new hotel signings.

Egypt leads Africa’s hotel development boom

Egypt remains the clear leader in African hotel development, with 45,984 rooms planned across 185 properties. The country alone represents more than one-third of the entire pipeline and has more than four times the number of rooms in second-placed Morocco.

Morocco currently has 10,606 rooms across 75 projects, meaning the two North African countries together account for more than 45 percent of the continent’s total pipeline.

Egypt’s development momentum is being driven by a steady flow of new deals and upcoming openings. The country recorded 39 new hotel signings last year and expects 33 new properties to open in 2026 alone.

Trevor Ward, Managing Director of W Hospitality Group, said the data highlight how strongly Africa’s development narrative is being shaped by a handful of high-performing destinations.

“The data clearly show that Africa’s hotel development story is being driven by a handful of high-performing markets, with Egypt firmly at the forefront in both signings and projected openings,” Ward said.

Top markets shaping Africa’s hotel development

Beyond Egypt and Morocco, several other countries are seeing strong development pipelines.

Nigeria ranks third with 8,480 rooms across 57 projects, followed by Kenya with 6,190 rooms and Ethiopia with 5,964 rooms. Island destination Cape Verde appears sixth with 4,328 rooms across just 17 projects, giving it one of the highest average hotel sizes in the ranking.

Tunisia, Tanzania, South Africa and Ghana complete the top ten markets, each with more than 3,900 rooms in development.

East Africa leads in construction momentum

While North Africa dominates the overall pipeline by volume, East Africa is currently leading in terms of projects actively under construction.

Ethiopia and Kenya both have nearly 80 percent of their pipeline rooms already under construction, indicating strong project execution. Tanzania follows closely with 77.5 percent of its rooms actively progressing toward completion.

These figures contrast sharply with markets such as Nigeria and Cape Verde, where a significantly smaller share of pipeline projects has moved into the construction phase.

Ward said this suggests East Africa could see the most new hotel supply delivered in the short to medium term.

“What stands out this year is the strength of East Africa in terms of projects moving forward. Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania show some of the highest construction ratios on the continent, which suggests that this is where we are likely to see new supply coming through in the short to medium term,” he said.

Global hotel brands dominate development

Hotel development across Africa remains heavily concentrated among a small group 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 major global chains account for roughly 80 percent of all pipeline hotels and rooms across the continent.

This concentration reflects the continued expansion strategies of global brands seeking to capture growth in Africa’s emerging hospitality markets.

Opening pipeline highlights delivery challenges

Despite strong growth in signings and planned projects, the report also highlights the ongoing gap between announced developments and completed hotels.

More than 65,000 rooms are currently forecast to open between 2026 and 2027. In 2026 alone, 183 hotels representing 31,768 rooms are expected to launch, followed by another 177 hotels with 33,381 rooms in 2027.

However, historical actualisation rates suggest that the number of completed hotels may fall short of projections due to delays in financing, construction challenges and market conditions.

Further insights into these development trends will be presented at the Future Hospitality Summit Africa, taking place from 31 March to 1 April in Nairobi.