CNN’s ‘Inside Africa’ Looks at The Changing Architectural Landscape of Nigeria

Nigeria is building for the future. From vast developments in Lagos, to cutting edge design in Calabar, the country is building to keep up with its growing business, sport and tourism demands.

This week on CNN’s ‘Inside Africa’, host Soni Methu visits the big developments defining the changing architectural look of Nigeria, from an entirely new district in Lagos, to the new football stadium in Uyo, by way of the tallest building on Victoria Island, and David Adjaye’s new concept store in Lagos.

In Lagos, the programme visits the Eko Atlantic Project - an entirely new district of the city, with apartments for a quarter of a million people, and work space for 400,000.

David Frame, Managing Director of South Energyz Nigeria, the man running the project, tells ‘Inside Africa’: “The project began partly as a way of protecting Lagos from flooding. We’re building a very robust sea wall along the southern edge (of the coastline), in order to protect Eko Atlantic, but in turn, to meet the request of the Lagos State Governor, to protect Victoria Island. Back in 2005, it was under very real threat of being devastated by coastal surge”.

Eko Atlantic hopes to attract financial institutions with luxury developments, with the goal being to establish Lagos as a financial hub, and commercial hub, of the continent of Africa. In twenty years from now, Frame tells ‘Inside Africa’ there will be a substantial population living in Eko Atlantic.

The programme also visits South East to Uyo, the capital of the Akwa Ibom State, where one of the most modern sporting stadia in the whole of Africa has just been completed. It seats 30, 000 people and can host both international football and top-class athletics.

Methu chats to Governor Godswill while watching Nigeria take on South Africa in an important football clash: “I'd like you and CNN to judge for yourselves. You've gone round the world, you've gone inside Africa, you've gone to the entire global community, and you've seen facilities. Here is one that is completely state of the art.”

CNN ‘Inside Africa,’ on 12 December at 1830
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