Mark Essien

Mark Essien: Nigerian Entrepreneur and Technology Pioneer Mark Essien (born December 18, 1980, in Ikot Ekepene, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria) is a prominent Nigerian entrepreneur, software developer, and technology consultant. He is best known as the founder and CEO of Hotels.ng, one of the largest online hotel booking agencies in Nigeria. Essien is recognized as a key figure in the Nigerian technology and startup ecosystem, advocating for software development and local tech capacity building. Early Life and Education Mark Essien was born to Anthony Paul Essien, a political figure in Akwa Ibom State, and Monika Essien, a child educationist. He completed his secondary education in Nigeria before moving to Germany at the age of 18 for his university education. Essien holds a Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng) in Computer Hardware Engineering from Beuth Hochschule Berlin, Germany, and an M.Sc. in Computer Science from Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. Career Progression and Hotels.ng Before founding Hotels.ng, Essien gained international experience working in software development and technology. His notable career shift occurred when he decided to address the fragmentation and lack of reliable online booking infrastructure within the Nigerian travel and hospitality sector. In 2013, he founded Hotels.ng, leveraging his technical expertise to create a platform that digitized hotel reservations across Nigeria. Major Achievements and Notable Works Hotels.ng successfully raised significant funding from investors, including Spark.ng and EchoVC, establishing itself as a market leader. Essien is also known for his advocacy in technology; he frequently speaks at international and local tech conferences and runs boot camps dedicated to training and mentoring aspiring Nigerian software developers. He is often cited as a role model for aspiring tech entrepreneurs in West Africa due to his emphasis on building scalable local solutions. Current Status As of today, Mark Essien continues to lead Hotels.ng and remains an active investor and mentor in the Nigerian tech space. His efforts focus on growing the digital economy in Nigeria and strengthening the country's position as a hub for software development talent.