NAIROBI, Kenya — On the edge of Nairobi’s South C neighbourhood, past the daily bustle of traffic and city life, sits a college that has quietly spent the past decade redefining Africa’s place in the global hospitality map.
Boma International Hospitality College (BIHC), founded in 2015 with just KES 17.8 million in revenue, is now marking a milestone few expected: 10 years, over 6,000 graduates, and more than KES 3 billion in cumulative revenue.
And its ambitions are only growing.
“We don’t just train students—we empower communities,” said Mike Macharia, Chair of the BIHC Board and CEO of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers. “Our mission is to elevate African talent on a global scale.”
At a time when Kenya’s education sector faces funding struggles and youth unemployment remains a national concern, BIHC is offering a different story—one of scale, skill, and global relevance.
Through a long-standing partnership with Switzerland’s Business and Hotel Management School (BHMS), BIHC students can earn Swiss-accredited qualifications and access job placements in 47 countries. Its alumni are now working in luxury hotels and high-end resorts from London to Dubai, Beijing to New York.
Home-Grown, Globally Recognised
BIHC’s teaching faculty includes professionals from 45 different nationalities. The college’s students receive hands-on training at The Boma Hotels’ three- and five-star facilities. It remains the only institution in Kenya designated as a TVETA-recognised Centre of Excellence in Hospitality and Culinary Arts.
Beyond core programmes in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, BIHC also teaches mixology, barista skills, and languages including German, Spanish, French, and Mandarin.
The approach is practical and modern. Students are encouraged to “earn while they learn” through a dual apprenticeship model. A new Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, set to launch soon, will certify industry professionals who lack formal academic papers—a move experts say could open doors for thousands in Kenya’s informal job market.
A Broader Social Mission
But the college’s story isn’t just about classrooms and credentials. It’s also about access.
More than 127 students from underprivileged backgrounds have received scholarships, thanks to partnerships with the KCB Foundation and the Swiss government’s Secretariat for Migration. BIHC has trained 643 young people, supported 276 micro and small enterprises, and focused particularly on women and persons with disabilities.
“BIHC gave me a chance to dream,” said Grace Wanjiku, a graduate now working in Abu Dhabi. “I come from a small town in Kirinyaga. Today, I serve guests from around the world.”
The college also runs the Pan African Tourism and Hospitality Research Institute (PATHRI), a platform for policy discussion, research, and innovation. Through this, BIHC has formed academic progression agreements with institutions such as Taylor’s University in Malaysia, Strathmore University, USIU-Africa, and the University of Johannesburg.
Its consultancy wing is growing too, with clients ranging from Ethiopian Skylight Hotel to UNESCO/UNEVOC.
In 2023, BIHC hosted Africa’s first African Cuisine Competition. It now aims to become Kenya’s first private polytechnic in hospitality.
Sustainability, Recognition and the Road Ahead
Sustainability sits at the core of the college’s values. From zero-waste kitchens to “farm-to-fork” initiatives, BIHC integrates climate-conscious practices into its training. Students are exposed to cutting-edge tools like Moodle, and creative modules such as molecular gastronomy.
The accolades have followed. BIHC was recently named Kenya’s Best Hospitality School at the 2024 Tourism Excellence Awards. It was also listed among Africa’s Top 50 Most Influential F&B Brands by Cookery Zone.
Still, its leaders insist the work is just beginning.
“Our goal is to be the gold standard for hospitality education in Africa,” said Saurabh Kukreja, the college’s Managing Director. “This continent has talent. What we’re building is a bridge from potential to global opportunity.”
As Kenya grapples with how to equip its youth for a fast-changing world, BIHC offers a model worth watching. Grounded in local reality, yet outward-looking in its approach, it is quietly proving that African institutions can compete—and thrive—on the world stage.
