NAIROBI, Kenya, May 8 – Boma International Hospitality College (BIHC) is celebrating a decade of growth and global influence, marking its 10th anniversary with over KES 3 billion in cumulative revenue and a reputation as a regional leader in hospitality and culinary arts training.
Founded in 2015 with KES 17.8 million in revenue, BIHC has achieved a 166-fold growth in just 10 years, supported by a strategic partnership with the Business and Hotel Management School (BHMS) in Lucerne, Switzerland. The collaboration allows students to earn Swiss-accredited dual qualifications and access job placements in 47 countries.
“BIHC doesn’t just train students—we empower communities and elevate African talent in the global hospitality arena,” said Mike Macharia, Chair of the BIHC Board and CEO of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers.
To date, the institution has trained over 6,000 graduates and upskilled more than 2,400 professionals. Its alumni are now working in top destinations including the UK, USA, UAE, Spain, and China.
BIHC’s faculty includes professionals from 45 nationalities and uses The Boma Hotels’ 3-star and 5-star settings for practical training. It is Kenya’s only TVETA-recognized Centre of Excellence in Hospitality and Culinary Arts.
The college offers a wide array of programs ranging from Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management to Barista Skills, Mixology, and languages such as French, Spanish, German, and Mandarin.
Scholarships and flexible payment plans, supported by partners like KCB Foundation and the Swiss Secretariat for Migration, have enabled over 127 students from underserved communities to access quality training. BIHC has also supported 643 youth and trained 276 MSMEs, especially women and persons with disabilities.
The institution’s dual apprenticeship model allows students to earn while they learn, and its upcoming Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system will formally certify industry professionals without academic credentials.
Through the Pan African Tourism and Hospitality Research Institute (PATHRI), BIHC is advancing research, innovation, and policy dialogue. It also has academic progression agreements with institutions such as Taylor’s University, Strathmore, USIU-Africa, and the University of Johannesburg.
Beyond academics, BIHC provides consultancy services to industry leaders like Ethiopian Skylight Hotel and UNESCO/UNEVOC. It hosted Africa’s first African Cuisine Competition in 2023 and is on track to become Kenya’s first private polytechnic in hospitality.
The college has embraced sustainability with initiatives like zero-waste cooking and Farm-to-Fork practices, while adopting modern learning tools including Moodle and innovations like molecular gastronomy.
Its accolades include the 2024 Best Hospitality School in Kenya award at the Tourism Excellence Awards and recognition among Africa’s Top 50 Most Influential F&B Brands by Cookery Zone.
