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President Russell M. Nelson, 17th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced the Lagos Nigeria Temple on Oct. 7, 2018, during the Sunday afternoon session of October 2018 general conference. The announcement of a second house of the Lord for Nigeria was among 12 new sacred edifices worldwide — and the ninth for the African continent.
Kelechi Ugoh was driving while listening to general conference on the radio when he heard the announcement of a temple for Lagos. He was so stunned he nearly stopped in the middle of the road.
“When I heard ‘Lagos, Nigeria,’ I gasped in surprise and then was really, really excited,” Ugoh said. “I’ve heard friends and family talk about where the next temple will be built in Nigeria, and Lagos was usually top on the list, but I think no one was expecting it to happen.”
For now, Ugoh, his family and his friends attend the Aba Nigeria Temple — “about 10 hours of driving on not the best of roads infrastructure-wise, so there were lots of accidents. Cases of robbery on the road are not uncommon. Also, it’s an expensive trip for most people.”
Ugoh related: “This will boost temple attendance, missionary work and general spirituality of members in Nigeria.”
In Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous state, a temple “would create more awareness and increase people’s interest in the Church in Nigeria,” he added. “And I can see increased growth in the Church in Nigeria with a temple in Lagos.”
Church President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple for Lagos, Nigeria, on Oct. 7, 2018, during October 2018 general conference. It was one of 12 temples announced at the conference — the second for Nigeria and the ninth for the African continent.
The Lagos Nigeria Temple was announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson on Oct. 7, 2018. On Sept. 11, 2023, the Church announced a site location for a sacred edifice in the Ikoyi neighborhood of Lagos. Details about the temple’s groundbreaking have not yet been released.
According to site plans released by the Church on Sept. 11, 2023, the Lagos Nigeria Temple will be a single-story building of approximately 19,800 square feet. The edifice will stand on a 2.7-acre site at the northwest intersection of Rumens Road and Bourdillon Road in the Ikoyi neighborhood of Lagos. Also planned for the site are an arrival center and patron housing.
The Praia Cape Verde Temple was announced the same day as a sacred edifice in Lagos, Nigeria. Cape Verde is an island nation off the northwestern coast of the African continent.
The other eight temples on the continent of Africa in operation, under construction or in planning stages at the time of the announcement of a house of the Lord in Lagos were located in Aba, Nigeria; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Durban, South Africa; Harare, Zimbabwe; Johannesburg, South Africa; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Nairobi, Kenya.
When a temple was announced for Lagos, Nigeria had approximately 163,745 Latter-day Saints among 601 congregations.
The closest temple to Lagos is currently the Aba Nigeria Temple, a distance of approximately 285 miles away to the southeast.
Lagos is the most populous state in Nigeria, and Lagos City is the most populous city.
Lagos is a major African financial center and was the federal capital of Nigeria before 1976.
The Praia Cape Verde Temple was announced the same day as a sacred edifice in Lagos, Nigeria. Cape Verde is an island nation off the northwestern coast of the African continent.
The other eight temples on the continent of Africa in operation, under construction or in planning stages at the time of the announcement of a house of the Lord in Lagos were located in Aba, Nigeria; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Durban, South Africa; Harare, Zimbabwe; Johannesburg, South Africa; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Nairobi, Kenya.
When a temple was announced for Lagos, Nigeria had approximately 163,745 Latter-day Saints among 601 congregations.
The closest temple to Lagos is currently the Aba Nigeria Temple, a distance of approximately 285 miles away to the southeast.
Lagos is the most populous state in Nigeria, and Lagos City is the most populous city.
Lagos is a major African financial center and was the federal capital of Nigeria before 1976.