Proto: A deep dive into map data for the Nigeria hospitality sector
Most Nigerians have faced the frustration of finding a decent hotel or restaurant in an unfamiliar city, only to be met with inaccurate addresses, poor service, or completely booked accommodations.
As one of Africa’s largest economies, Nigeria’s hospitality can excel with the presence of digital tools that can connect travellers with the experiences they seek. Some local businesses, from guesthouses to restaurants, remain hidden from tourists and even locals, missing out on opportunities simply because they are hard to find.
The hospitality industry in Nigeria is flourishing, but the need for innovative, data-driven solutions has never been more urgent. In this article, I’ll explore how Proto’s map-data solutions could help solve some challenges facing Nigeria’s hospitality sector.
Nigeria’s hospitality landscape
Nigeria’s hospitality industry is a growing sector with an essential role in the country’s economy. The industry demonstrates resilience and potential for expansion by offering diverse services, including hotels, restaurants, and entertainment.
The sector contributed approximately 3.6% to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022, showcasing its importance as a source of income and employment.
However, there is a significant deficit in the number of quality hotels and accommodations to meet the growing demand from domestic and international travellers. Many regions lack the necessary infrastructure, leading to a reliance on self-sufficient power generation and water supply systems in hotels, which increases operational costs.
The hospitality sector faces a shortage of approximately 17 million housing units, impacting the availability of affordable accommodations for tourists and travellers. There’s also a lack of standardization due to inconsistent service quality, with many establishments lacking trained staff and standardized operating procedures. This inconsistency leads to customer dissatisfaction and negative reviews, impacting business performance.
Many hospitality businesses struggle to effectively reach their target markets due to inadequate marketing strategies and a lack of data on customer preferences. This results in missed opportunities to attract both local and international tourists.
There is a stark contrast in service quality between urban centres, which often have better facilities and trained staff, and rural areas, where hospitality services are often subpar. This inconsistency is why tourism potential in regions like Ebonyi differs from Abuja, further reinforcing urban migration.
Despite facing challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, security concerns, and competition from emerging digital platforms, the industry has demonstrated robust growth. Projections indicate a growth rate in the coming years. The hotel market alone is projected to reach $2.61 billion by 2029, reflecting a strong demand for accommodation and related services.
The potential for map-data solutions
Some rural regions lack proper transportation and accommodation facilities, making it challenging for tourists and business travellers to access services. Accurate mapping data can help identify areas needing development and optimize the placement of new hotels and restaurants.
Security is a major concern for both visitors and service providers. Map data can help identify safer routes and neighbourhoods, improving the safety of travel and accommodation options.
Map-data solutions are essential for addressing the pressing challenges in Nigeria’s hospitality sector. Here are a few reasons why:
- Businesses get to make informed decisions based on accurate data, improving operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
- Businesses can engage better with customers through targeted marketing and personalized services based on location data.
- Accurate mapping can help hospitality providers allocate resources more effectively, ensuring services are delivered where they are most needed.
- Customers can get access to quality service regardless of where they are.
Introducing Proto
Proto is a decentralized, user-generated platform that maps real-world locations and rewards contributors for their efforts. The core idea behind Proto is to view maps not just as navigational tools but as valuable content that can be monetized.
The mobile app allows users to contribute local knowledge by mapping points of interest (PoIs), such as restaurants, parks, hospitals, etc. Users receive rewards and recognition for their contributions, including addresses, images, and detailed descriptions of locations.
A unique feature of Proto is its on-chain technology, which uses blockchain to validate contributions and enable secure, transparent transactions. Proto’s mission is to empower mappers by providing tools to create, share, and benefit from mapping data in a collaborative community. Users can explore, document, and improve real-world locations through features like Check-ins, Journeys, and Coverage Maps while earning points, NFTs, and other rewards.
Additionally, Proto has Localcode, a service designed to improve address management by converting complex addresses into simple, human-readable codes. These codes can share precise locations with service providers and improve delivery accuracy, solving common problems associated with geolocation errors.
How Proto’s solutions can address hospitality challenges
Proto can benefit Nigeria’s hospitality sector, especially in data accuracy, service delivery, and customer engagement. Here’s how:
Community driven mapping
In Nigeria, the hospitality sector often struggles with outdated or incomplete data about facilities, especially in smaller towns and rural areas. Accurate, up-to-date information is important for hospitality professionals and visitors to navigate the landscape of hotels, restaurants, resorts, and other facilities.
Proto’s platform can encourage local users to map hospitality facilities and share detailed insights about them. The app’s Check-in feature allows contributors to add real-time data about places, making it easier for customers to access accurate information. Community-driven mapping also enables the collection of localized data that reflects the realities of the Nigerian landscape, ensuring more precise navigation and service delivery.
Address management
Another common issue in Nigeria’s hospitality industry is the difficulty of managing addresses, especially in urban areas with non-standardized street names, complex informal settlements, or remote locations. Poor address accuracy can lead to missed deliveries, delayed services, and customer dissatisfaction.
Localcode offers a way to share and manage addresses by converting them into simple, human-readable codes (e.g., hotelname.proto) that can be shared directly with service providers, customers, or delivery personnel. This prevents guesswork associated with complex or misspelt addresses, ensuring that guests and services can locate hospitality establishments more efficiently and accurately. The enhanced precision would also improve the experience of foreign visitors unfamiliar with the local address system.
Data-driven decisions
Hospitality businesses in Nigeria need reliable data to make informed decisions, from managing operations to understanding customer preferences. Unfortunately, many organizations lack access to comprehensive, real-time data, especially outside of major urban centres.
Proto’s platform can allow hospitality businesses to access user-generated data for insights into customer behaviours, facility performance, and service needs. Hospitality professionals can better understand where their services are most needed, identify high-demand areas, and refine their offerings by analyzing check-ins, journeys, and coverage maps. The insights gained from Proto’s rich map data can support more strategic decisions, leading to improved guest experiences.
Multilingual communication
Nigeria has hundreds of languages spoken across its various regions. Engaging customers from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds can be a challenge for hospitality businesses that rely on clear communication to provide a high level of service.
Proto’s app supports community-driven content creation, allowing contributors to add local knowledge in their native languages. This flexibility enables Proto to bridge multilingual communication, creating more inclusive engagement between hospitality providers and their diverse clientele. For example, mappers can create check-ins and journeys that cater to specific language communities, making it easier for non-English-speaking guests to find relevant information about local hospitality options.
Why Proto is uniquely positioned
As a flexible and decentralized platform focused on user-driven data, Proto has the tools to transform the hospitality industry in emerging markets like Nigeria.
- Experience in building trust
Proto already engages communities in India by incentivizing individuals to contribute valuable local knowledge through its mapping platform. Users get rewards for their contributions, and this sense of ownership and trust sustains their participation in the platform.
The decentralized, user-driven model empowers locals to contribute to mapping and data collection actively, ensuring that the information is accurate, relevant, and reflective of the on-the-ground realities in diverse environments. This ability to build trust and engage communities positions Proto as a reliable partner for hospitality providers.
2. Ability to adapt to cultural contexts
Proto’s platform is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing it to function across various cultural and linguistic contexts. This makes Proto particularly effective in regions like Nigeria, where diverse languages and cultural practices must be accommodated.
The adaptability enables it to penetrate regions other platforms might overlook due to cultural and linguistic barriers. It also gives it an edge in collecting data and facilitating participation from a broad spectrum of users.
3. Scalable onchain infrastructure
A blockchain-based infrastructure offers a secure, scalable mapping and data collection solution. Proto ensures that contributions are verified, traceable, and immutable by using on-chain technology, building trust in the accuracy and reliability of the data. Data is stored across a distributed network rather than centralized servers, making it less vulnerable to hacks or data loss.
Proto can securely handle large volumes of data, making it a reliable solution for the hospitality industry as it scales. The transparency and security in blockchain also build trust with users, investors, and partners, setting Proto apart from traditional mapping and data platforms.
Key takeaway
Proto has many opportunities to impact Nigeria’s hospitality industry. Proto enables businesses to enhance their operations without costly technological overhauls by integrating with hotel booking platforms, restaurant management software, and geolocation services like Uber and Google Maps. This would help with resource allocation and improve service delivery, making Proto a tool for operational efficiency.
Additionally, opportunities for cross-sector collaboration, including public-private partnerships, are available. These collaborations can accelerate infrastructure development and innovation, especially in underserved areas. Proto can drive tourism growth in Nigeria’s hospitality sector.
Check out the Proto guidebook and official website to become a mapper.
