There is no gainsaying that billionaire tycoon, Rtd. General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma is a shrewd businessman. The former military chief is showing no signs of slowing down as he advances in years. The 88-year old tycoon —with interest in diverse lucrative sectors of the economy including telecoms, oil and gas, real estate, solid mineral, pharmaceuticals, hospitality and maritime— was the first wealthy Nigerian to formally establish a single-family office to manage his vast fortune.
Run by Hannatu Gentles, his second daughter, TY Danjuma Family Office is registered in England and Wales and operates from Surrey, United Kingdom. The family office earns fee income advising entities within the Danjuma orbit. It also handles a decent portfolio of U.S. technology stocks, hotels in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, industrial gases, film production, and art.
Through the family office, Danjuma, in 2019, added the London famous and historic Kings Arms Hotel to his vast portfolio. The elegant grade II-listed 14-room boutique hotel, located in the Hampton Court area of the affluent South West London Royal Borough of Richmond, was acquired for roughly £2.4 million (about N1 billion). It was extensively refurbished in recent years to comprise 13 en suite bedrooms, a bar, restaurant and separate dining areas.
As at June 30, 2025 the office held £83.5 million in assets. Its largest holding is property: 18 commercial and 53 residential properties across the United States and Europe valued at over £40 million. Financial investments stood at £30.2 million.
The UK-registered vehicle represents only a small portion of the Taraba-born retired General’s wealth. It is a sliver of the mogul’s fortune as his main assets, including oil firm, SAPETRO and other operating businesses, are managed outside the U.K entity. But in recent years, the family office has grappled with liquidity pressures due to higher interest rates and inflation. This also affected the family-owned London luxury hotel, Kings Arm Hotel, which struggled financially since its acquisition.
TY Hospitality Limited, an affiliate company, operated the luxury hotel and funded the running costs from July 1, 2019 while Mosaic Hotels Ltd, managed under contract, collected revenue and handled expenses. Yet, in its final year, the historic hotel recorded a £526,000 loss on revenue of £575,000, following a £559,000 loss the year before.
Five years down the line, the Danjuma Family Office took the hard decision as it closed the hotel, as part of a wider effort to stabilize its UK holdings. The family said they shut down the hotel because they expected losses to continue amid rising costs and softer demand in hospitality. The boutique hotel and its restaurant ceased trading on May 31, 2025 and has been put up for sale for nearly £3 million.
Sources said the option to sell the London luxury hotel reflects Danjuma’s cautious approach to capital preservation as the family office navigates a challenging environment for UK hospitality with focus on assets with stronger long-term performance.
COURTESY: thesun.ng
