ARCHITECTURE IN NIGERIA- FUN FACTS
Architecture is a tool that can be used to identify places. For example, when we talk about Burj Khalifa, Dubai comes to mind; when we talk about the Eiffel tower, Paris comes to mind, etc. Nigeria has several impressive buildings that stand out in different parts of Nigeria. These buildings can be regarded as landmarks in the states where they are situated. Below are some landmark buildings in Nigeria.
- KINGSWAY TOWER
The Kingsway tower is located in Ikoyi, Lagos state. It is a mixed-use building, 15 stories high. It houses 12 office floor levels, a two-level retail podium, a basement, and a parking podium. This tower was built to a world-class standard. The design of the tower was done by South African architect SAOTA, led by architect Greg Truen.
2. FEDERAL MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
This is a white building built to take the form of a ship. It houses the headquarters of the Nigerian Ministry of Defense, which consists of the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, the Navy, etc. This building is located in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
3. THE NATIONAL ARTS THEATRE
The national art theatre is a center for the performing arts in Nigeria, a grand architectural masterpiece located in Iganmu, Lagos, at about half an hour's drive from Lagos Island. It has an auditorium with a capacity of approximately 3 000 people and a conference hall that can contain about 800 people. The conference hall has facilities that can translate up to 8 languages at the same time. The exterior of the building is shaped like a military hat. The design and construction of the theatre were done by Bulgarian construction companies. Construction of the National Theatre started in 1976 during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon in preparation for the festival of arts and culture (FESTAC) and was completed in 1977 under the regime of Olusegun Obasanjo.
4. THE C I V IC C ENTRE
Designed and constructed by James Cubitt Architects in 2004, the civic center is a grandiose architectural chef-d'oeuvre situated on Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos. It is an impressive high-rise building that hosts world-class events like standard business conferences, celebrity-packed events, and weddings for the social elites. It contains three banquet halls (The Grand Banquet Hall, The Panoramic View Hall, and The Waterfront) and two meeting rooms. The building is notable for the fascinating waterfront scenery in the area it is situated and also for the aquamarine Motor Boat Club shelters.
5. THE GOD’SWILL AKPABIO STADIUM
The Godswill Akpabio stadium, also called ‘The Nest of Champions’ is located in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, on Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Boulevard. It is considered to be the most beautiful stadium in Nigeria. The stadium has a capacity of 30 000 viewers. It features bulletproof VIP and VVIP areas, natural grass, high-tech floodlights, provision for an indoor sports hall, training pitch, village games, helipad, collapsible seats, and a swimming pool. Included in all these, it has dressing rooms, media facilities, a box office, video facilities, a 7500 seater Grandstand, a standard eight-lane 400m track, a warm-up facility with a six-lane 400m track, a standby power supply system, and an ambulance bay. It has 30 emergency exit outlets that were estimated to permit exit in minutes when the stadium is full. The stadium is also equipped with closed-circuit security cameras crowd control steel fencing, standby firefighting equipment, and metal detectors. It was built to look like the Allianz Arena in Germany and meets international safety standards. It is a center for sporting activities, social, cultural, and religious events, and recreational activities.
6. IBOM E-LIBRARY
Ibom E-library has been recognized as West Africa’s first digital library and is ranked among the biggest digital libraries in Africa. It was built by the Akwa Ibom State Government in 2012. The library features a cutting-edge Video Conference Hall, an e-Learning facility basically for ICT training, e-Testing centers, and certification undertakings, a board/meeting room for leasing, short-term office space, a crèche and daycare, a Smart classroom, and a reprography unit.
