Profica delivers five-star success at Mövenpick Kigali

The opening of the Mövenpick Hotel Kigali this November marks a significant moment for Rwanda’s luxury hospitality sector. The comprehensive redevelopment of the former Hotel Umubano into a 124-key, five-star destination required a blend of international standards, local insight, and expert project management. Profica played a key role, serving as the Project Manager and FIDIC Engineer to navigate the complexities of this high-stakes refurbishment.

Leading a complex redevelopment

The project involved transforming a hotel shell into a world-class facility that meets the stringent brand standards of Accor’s Mövenpick. From the outset, Profica’s deep, in-country knowledge and Pan-African expertise were crucial. The team became involved in November 2021, assisting with due diligence before moving through the feasibility, design, and construction stages.

Acting on behalf of the developer, Kasada, Profica’s primary responsibility was to lead the project from its early phases through to a successful handover. Profica’s role as the FIDIC Engineer involved rigorous contract administration, quality control, and design management. This ensured that every aspect of the project, from structural changes to the final fit-out, adhered to the approved international standards of the Mövenpick brand.

Binneman Menigo, Profica’s Senior Project and Construction Manager for East Africa, joined the project in 2023. In line with Profica’s hands-on approach of leveraging in-market expertise, Menigo has been based in Rwanda since 2016 and possesses a deep understanding of the local landscape.

“When I arrived, the hotel was just a shell,” he recalls. “We were still in the design stage, with demolition works and new block work underway. It was a concrete skeleton that needed a full new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing fit-out.” The Principal Contractor, Shelter Group, was appointed and work began in February 2024, driving the project towards its final form.

Upholding international standards

A key objective was to deliver an authentic Mövenpick experience, ensuring a guest would feel the same level of five-star quality in Kigali as they would in any other Mövenpick hotel globally. This commitment to excellence starts at the design stage and continues through every phase of construction.

“Complying with the brand standard while maintaining budget integrity is a fine balance,” Menigo says. “It begins with the design, making sure you can source and bring the specified materials into the country. Strong quality control throughout the project is then essential to get the international quality level right.”

The project also highlighted the power of collaboration and knowledge sharing within Profica’s Pan-African network. “The beautiful thing about Profica is that the faces on the project may not be many, but we have a full network of support and knowledge capital in the wider team that ensures the client gets exceptional service,” explains Menigo. “It’s always a group approach, with different experts in various fields, countries, and types of projects.” This included drawing on the experience of team members familiar with the practices of the Middle Eastern-based contractor, Shelter Group, who were undertaking their first project in Rwanda.

A significant project achievement was the upskilling of the local workforce. The contractor’s workforce was 100% Rwandan, and with skilled supervision, they were successfully trained to meet the high pace and quality demands of a five-star hotel construction environment. 

Navigating challenges with on-the-ground expertise

Completing a project of this scale within budget and on time is a testament to disciplined project management, especially in a landlocked country like Rwanda. Supply chain complexities and logistical hurdles are common. Profica’s on-the-ground approach was essential to keeping the project on track.

“Profica provided boots on the ground and kept the shoelaces tied!” says Menigo. He explains that managing imports, supply chain red tape, and costs related to transportation and in-country taxes were major priorities. The team’s ability to anticipate obstacles and devise creative solutions proved invaluable. This required flexibility and, as Menigo puts it, “seeing around corners and thinking out of the box in terms of construction methodologies.”

This proactive problem-solving is part of Profica’s DNA. “Our experience across the African continent has shown that clients value our ability to deliver innovative solutions that protect their investment and ensure project success, even under tight programme constraints,” says Menigo.