PurposeThis study aims to investigate the drivers that motivate employees and guests' hotel service participation to understand how that can influence the implementation of Value Co-Creation (VCC) in sub-Saharan African context.Design/methodology/approachUsing an interpretive paradigm, the study draws on 32 in-depth interviews, 6 focus group discussions involving 32 participants and participant observation field notes. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsThe study unravels nine motives that drive employee–guest VCC participation: passion, relationship, belongingness, shared and enhanced experiences, satisfaction, reputation development, openness, communication and rewards.Research limitations/implicationsThis exploratory, cross-sectional study was undertaken in hotels within sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, findings cannot be generalised. However, it provides an opportunity for future quantitative approaches within different contexts involving other stakeholders.Practical implicationsConsidering the numerous challenges from COVID-19 pandemic on the service industry, hotel managers might want to use the findings to not only formulate policies that support employee–guest co-creation for service improvement and survival but also introduce enhanced innovative service practices that deliver on employee and guest service expectations for retention. The findings encourage hotel managers to identify employee and guest context-specific motivations to be able to match with value-driven service activities, aimed at attracting positive behaviours to better respond to the numerous COVID-19-related challenges.Originality/valueThis work adds to the VCC literature by investigating the collective and individual drivers at the employee and guest dyadic level within sub-Saharan African hotel context. The authors propose a comprehensive model to guide the successful implementation of employee–guest VCC.