Mark Essien: The tech visionary behind Hotels.ng

Mark Anthony Essien is a Nigerian entrepreneur, software developer, and startup investor best known as the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hotels.ng, Nigeria’s leading online hotel booking platform.

Before establishing the company in 2013, Essien had created a file-sharing application known as Gnumm, which was later acquired by Snoopstar.com. He also went on to develop a language-learning startup called Ingolingo.

Profile summary

Name: Mark Essien

Born: December 18,1980

State of origin: Akwa-Ibom

Education: University of Berlin

Marital status: Married

Career: Entrepreneur

Humble beginnings

Mark Essien was born on December 18, 1980, to Anthony Paul Essien, a politician who once served as Special Adviser on Economic Affairs in Akwa Ibom State, and Monika Essien, a German educationist who founded a school in Ikot Ekpene.

He began his early education at his mother’s institution, Monika Kindergarten, and later proceeded to Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene, where he continued his studies.

At age 18, he relocated to Germany, where he studied Computer Engineering at Beuth University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, later earning a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the Free University of Berlin.

First Steps in Technology

While in Germany during the dot-com boom, Essien developed a strong interest in digital products.

Despite initially lacking his own computer, he taught himself coding and eventually created Gnumm, a file-sharing software similar to Napster.

Gnumm attracted attention and was later acquired by Snoopstar, a German augmented reality company under the Bertelsmann group.

Following the acquisition, Essien worked with the company’s software development team.

He also built Standard MPEG, one of the first MPEG encoder software solutions for the DirectShow platform, which was purchased by clients such as Disney and the United States military.

These early ventures funded his studies and strengthened his entrepreneurial foundation.

Founding Hotels.ng

After experimenting with mobile apps in Europe, Essien turned his attention to Africa’s untapped digital market.

He noticed inefficiencies in Nigeria’s travel sector, especially the hotel booking process, and set out to provide a solution.

In 2013, he launched Hotels.ng in Calabar, a city with a dense hotel presence.

By personally engaging hotel managers, he grew the platform’s listings rapidly. His breakthrough came when Jason Njoku, founder of iROKOtv, invested $75,000 through Spark.ng, later increasing the stake by another $150,000.

The company expanded nationwide and, in 2015, secured $1.2 million in funding from EchoVC Pan-Africa Fund and Omidyar Network.

Today, Hotels.ng employs over 150 staff, serves customers across Nigeria, and has since launched Hotel.africa for international bookings and Fly.africa for flight reservations.

Founding HNG Internship

Essien also tackled one of Africa’s biggest tech challenges scarcity of skilled software engineers.

He founded the HNG Internship,  a large-scale virtual program designed to mentor developers through real projects.

The initiative grew from just a handful of participants to over 13,000 applicants in recent editions, with dozens of mentors guiding candidates. Many graduates of the program now work in leading Nigerian startups.

Other Ventures

In 2016, Hotels.ng co-invested in OgaVenue, an events booking platform, alongside Jason Njoku.

Essien also sits on its board. Beyond building businesses, he actively supports Nigeria’s startup ecosystem as an angel investor and mentor.

Recognitions 

His achievements have earned him global recognition. In 2015, Essien was named among Forbes’ “30 Youngest Entrepreneurs in Africa” and has been nominated for The Future Awards Africa.

He is also a sought-after TEDx speaker, delivering talks at TEDxEuston and TEDxGbagada on entrepreneurship, networks, and Africa’s place in global technology.

Personal life

Mark Essien is married to fellow software developer Jenni Naiaretti, the couple tied the knot in April 2018.

Net worth

Through his entrepreneurial journey, software development projects, investments, and the growth of Hotels.ng, Mark Essien has built an estimated net worth of around $5 million as of 2025.