The proposed development will combine luxury accommodation, leisure facilities, international dining and investment opportunities, allowing buyers to acquire individual hotel suites for personal use or participation in a professionally managed rental pool.
According to the company, the project draws inspiration from Renaissance Florence and the legacy of the Italian Medici family, with the ambition of positioning Lagos as a destination for international luxury tourism.
The announcement comes as Sujimoto moves towards completing its flagship residential development, Lucrezia by Sujimoto, on Banana Island, Lagos, where the company says homeowners have begun taking possession of their properties.
Sujimoto said Isabella de’ Medici would feature a sculptural KRION façade, a grand lobby aquarium described as potentially the largest of its kind in an African hotel, and a hanging infinity pool on the 35th floor.
Other proposed facilities include international restaurants, luxury boutiques, wellness centres, a private cinema, a casino, a billiards lounge and a sky bar.
The company said it intends to create a hospitality destination capable of competing with leading international luxury brands, including Four Seasons, while presenting an experience rooted in African hospitality.
Suites to Start at $150,000
Beyond its hospitality offering, Isabella de’ Medici will introduce a private ownership structure under which investors can purchase individual hotel suites rather than entire residential properties.
Sujimoto said its proposed 45-square-metre deluxe suites would be offered at an initial pre-launch price of $150,000. The price is expected to rise to $210,000 at groundbreaking, with further increases anticipated as construction progresses.
The company outlined a proposed price progression that could take the cost of a suite to as much as $600,000 upon completion, depending on the stage at which it is purchased.
Founding investors would also have the opportunity to name their suites after themselves and enjoy up to 21 days of personal use annually, subject to the terms of the proposed managed rental pool.
Sujimoto projected that a suite purchased for $150,000 could generate annual rental income of up to $30,000, equivalent to a potential gross yield of 20 per cent. It also projected returns on equity of up to 300 per cent by completion.
However, these figures represent the company's projections rather than guaranteed investment outcomes. Actual rental income and returns would depend on factors including occupancy levels, room rates, operating costs, management fees, market conditions and the final contractual arrangements.
Prospective investors would therefore need to examine the ownership structure, rental management terms, financing arrangements and associated costs before committing funds.
Lucrezia Experience Shapes New Project
Group Managing Director of Sujimoto, Dr Sijibomi Ogundele, said the experience of developing Lucrezia had influenced the financial and operational approach planned for Isabella de’ Medici.
In a statement he personally signed, Ogundele acknowledged that the Lucrezia project had encountered significant challenges arising from rising construction costs, exchange-rate volatility, borrowing obligations and regulatory hurdles.
He disclosed that 112 piles had been installed beneath the Banana Island development as part of its foundation engineering, but acknowledged that the project's financing structure had not been adequately protected against economic shocks.
According to him, the experience had prompted the company to introduce stricter financial controls for its proposed hotel development.
These measures include more prudent borrowing, aligning financial commitments with available funding, introducing safeguards at construction milestones and strengthening risk assessment.
Ogundele also reaffirmed the company's commitment to completing Lucrezia and meeting its obligations to investors and homeowners despite the difficulties encountered during construction.
Lucrezia is a 15-storey luxury residential development featuring four-bedroom maisonettes measuring approximately 600 square metres, alongside premium penthouses.
Sujimoto cited the reported appreciation of one Lucrezia unit purchased for about ₦650 million to a current offer of ₦5 billion as an illustration of the potential value appreciation associated with its developments. The figure, however, represents a reported offer and does not by itself establish a completed sale or independently verified market valuation.
Medici Legacy Inspires Hospitality Vision
The proposed Isabella de’ Medici project takes its name from the influential Italian Medici family, whose patronage of artists, architects and scholars helped establish Florence as a major centre of Renaissance culture.
Ogundele said the hotel was conceived as more than a luxury accommodation facility, with its architecture, leisure offerings and hospitality services intended to create a destination capable of attracting visitors from across the world.
The company said lessons from Lucrezia would inform the execution of Isabella, with greater emphasis on financial discipline, transparency and keeping investors informed throughout construction and eventual hotel operations.
Ogundele has spearheaded several luxury real estate developments under the Sujimoto brand, including Lucrezia by Sujimoto, Leonardo by Sujimoto, the Sujimoto Twin Tower and Queen Amina by Sujimoto.
The proposed hotel marks the Group's latest attempt to expand beyond luxury residential property into large-scale hospitality and investment-driven developments.
While the company has outlined its architectural ambitions, proposed suite prices and projected returns, the project's delivery timeline, financing structure and the independent verification of its investment projections remain key considerations for prospective buyers.
The development's eventual success will depend not only on its design and hospitality offering but also on its financing, construction execution and ability to attract sufficient demand in Lagos's luxury accommodation market.