Here are the Famous Landmarks In Nigeria for both Nigerians to explore and foreigners alike. These Landmarks have stood for centuries.
Famous Landmarks In Nigeria Explored
Nigeria boasts a rich cultural heritage and a long history.
Nigeria has influenced African history in a big way, from ancient kingdoms and empires to contemporary political and economic hubs.
Here are the Top Famous Landmarks In Nigeria.
We shall examine these historic buildings and structures, emphasizing their cultural and historical value as well as their significance to Nigerians.
This is likely to give you an interesting and delightful reading experience, regardless of whether you are a history buff, a tourist, or simply someone who wants to learn more about this dynamic and fascinating nation.
Nigeria’s First-Storey Structure
Nigeria’s first-story building was finished in 1845, having begun construction in 1842.
Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther translated the English Bible into Yoruba while residing there with his family when it was finished.
Numerous historical artifacts can be found in this structure, including:
- In Nigeria, the first cemented well.
- Nigeria’s first elementary school.
- The oldest Bible in Nigeria, written in a native tongue.
The ancient walls of Kano City
Hundreds of years before British colonists came to Nigeria, the old Kano city walls encircled one of the most populous towns in West Africa, Kano.
The brown-mud wall was built between 1095 and 1134 and finished in the middle of the 14th century. It is 30 to 50 feet high and 40 feet thick.
The administration implemented additional security measures by using the historic Kano city walls to monitor all admission and leave and defend the city from outside invasion because the city was a booming hub with plentiful water and iron deposits at the time and a center for Islamic education.
House of Jaekel
One of the oldest structures in the Nigerian Railway Compound in Lagos is Jaekel House, which was built in 1898.
Francis Jaekel OBE, a former superintendent of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, is honored by the name. In order to preserve the history of Nigeria’s first railway tracks, maintenance yards, and sheds, Legacy1995 currently manages and maintains the home.
It now has a small museum with artifacts and souvenirs illustrating the history of Nigerian railways.
British weapons, miniature train replicas, and other artifacts and images related to the civilian, political, and military life of the era are on display for visitors to the Jaekel House Museum.
3rd Mainland Bridge, Lagos
With a total length of 11.8 km, the Ibrahim Babangida Bridge—now referred to as the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos—is the longest bridge in Nigeria. Up until 1996, it was the longest in Africa.
The bridge was built by Julius Berger and a team that included Trevi Group, Borini Prono, and Impresit Girola. In 1990, it was opened by the Ibrahim Babaginda administration.
The National Mosque
When Nigeria moved its capital from Lagos to Abuja under President Shehu Shagari, the Nigerian National Mosque was constructed. Within its confines are a library, a meeting room, and an Islamic center.
Additionally, the mosque’s Imam and other religious officials have housing accommodations.
The mosque’s most striking feature is its enormous golden dome, which has been there for almost 40 years.
When congregational prayers are not being held, the mosque is accessible to tourists, non-Muslims, and the general public.
Nigeria’s First Seaport
Constructed in Cross River, Calabar State, the Calabar Port was Nigeria’s first seaport.
As part of the 3rd National Development Plan of 1975–1980, the port was built, renovated, and expanded to improve its facilities and satisfy the growing demands of the Nigerian economy.
Additionally, the port was intended to serve as a convenient and vital entry point for nearby countries like as Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. The Federal Government currently receives an estimated 12 billion Naira a year from the port.
Airport at Mallam Aminu Kano International
The first airplane landed at the country’s oldest airport, the international Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, in 1922.
The airport bears the name of Mallam Aminu Kano, a well-known Nigerian politician and patriot who was born in Kano. He was among the few well-known Nigerian politicians that supported women’s equality and a tax structure that prioritizes heavy taxes on the wealthiest citizens of the country.
Consequently, an airport, a college, and numerous streets bear his name.
Mallam Aminu Kano Airport serves as both a significant connection point for aviation travelers from Northern Nigeria to other parts of the world and a major transit point for the annual Muslim Hajj to Mecca.
Ibadan’s Cocoa House
The first skyscraper in West Africa is called Cocoa House. Constructed in 1965, the 26-story structure is situated in the center of Dugbe, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Originally, it was known as “Ile Awon Agbe” (House of Farmers).
For two reasons, the name was changed to Cocoa House:
It was built with the money from cocoa exports.
In front of the structure, a water fountain was surrounded by a cocoa tree.
The administration of the Western Region at the time put the Cocoa House into service in August 1965.
The museum showcases early Yoruba art, attire, housewares, war weaponry, and lifestyle on its twenty-fourth floor.
Housing Estate in Bodija
Nigeria’s first housing estate was the Bodija Housing Estate in Ibadan, which was built in 1959. Light, water, and a garden were all standard features in every home on the estate.
The architectural styles, the materials utilized, and the amount of rooms in each building were the only differences between the dwellings.
Professionals and white-collar workers then occupied the majority of the homes in the neighborhood. It was recently separated into Old and New Bodija, which now has hotels, lounges, dining options, retail centers, and contemporary homes.
It is still the first housing estate in Nigeria.
River Niger Bridge
In December 1965, a French construction company named Dumez finished building the Niger Bridge, which links Onitsha and Asaba.
Since agriculture accounted for the majority of Nigeria’s economy, the bridge carried a variety of agricultural goods, which were once moved by canoe across the Niger River and Onitsha.
The famous River Niger Bridge, which has come to represent national business, is used by millions of people every day to commute from Asaba, the capital of Delta State, to Onitsha and back. The bridge, which spans 4,606 feet in length and 74 feet in height, links Eastern and Western Nigeria.
Mary Slessor’s residence
During the 19th century, the United Presbyterian Church dispatched Mary Mitchell Slessor, a Scottish missionary, to Nigeria.
One of the monuments honoring her is her home, which was built in Akpap Village, Calabar, Cross River State, circa 1880.
The house was originally a two-bedroom mud house with a parlor, a store, and a veranda.
A missionary carpenter named Mr. Owens was hired in 1889 to build her a more permanent building. Iron sheets made up the walls, and the doors and windows were made of wood.
In Ekenge, Calabar, Cross River State, the Mary Slessor House is a historical site dedicated to the missionary.
Oba of Benin Royal Palace
In the center of Benin’s historic city sits the Oba of Benin’s Palace. Oba Ewedo, who ruled the former Benin Kingdom from 1255 to 1280 AD, constructed it.
After the ancient structure was destroyed during the 1897 War of the British, Oba Eweka II (1914–1922) reconstructed it.
Today, Benin’s rich cultural heritage is celebrated and preserved at the Oba of Benin’s Royal Palace.
A lengthy succession of celestial monarchs have resided there, making it a sacred location.
From there, the chiefs, religious experts, court officials, and attendants support the Oba in managing the kingdom’s affairs. It is Benin’s most esteemed location.
St. George’s Hall
In Lagos State, there is a two-story structure called St. George’s Hall.
It is among Nigeria’s most recognizable instances of colonial-era architecture. It was established in 1904, and on July 1, 1905, it was dedicated.
Public entertainment or a banqueting hall are the planned uses for the ground floor. On the other hand, only Masonic uses were permitted on the upper floor.
The structure was owned by St. George’s Lodge, but according to the English Constitution, St. George’s Hall is the Freemasonry center for Nigeria.
Currently, nonetheless, the District Grand Lodge of Nigeria Eastern Constitution has control over it.
National War Museum
In 1985, Major-General Tunde Idiagbon, who was then the Chief of Staff at Supreme Headquarters, officially opened the National War Museum to the public.
It gives a decent summary of the Civil War, which broke out on July 6, 1967, and ended on January 15, 1970.
The Nigerian Civil War armament galleries, the Armed Forces gallery, and the Traditional Warfare gallery are the three display galleries that make up the National War Museum.
Additionally, it features an outdoor museum with three sections: the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Because of the peace and memories the museum preserves, it has grown to be one of the most visited tourist destinations in the nation.
People frequently come to view the military relics for study purposes or to relive recollections of the era.
These are the Famous Landmarks In Nigeria for all individuals to explore and enjoy the experience of these rich culture the has been preserved; some for centuries and hundreds of years.