What to See in Lagos - Top Sights and Attractions

Mosque in Lagos, Nigeria. Lagos Central Mosque is an important jum'at mosque in Lagos Island and home of the Chief Imam of Lagos. It is located along the busy Nnamdi Azikiwe Street. The current Mosque was opened for use in May 1988, displacing an earlier mosque that was built between 1908 and 1913. The chief Imam leads jumat service at the Mosque and he is the custodian of the mosque. Over the years, titles have been given to individuals by officials of the mosque's executive council. A prominent title is the Baba Adinni, first held by a Mr. Runmonkun, and recently bestowed on A.W. Elias, Wahab Folawiyo and Abdul Hafiz Abou. The first two title holders played significant roles in the construction of a new modern mosque.^[2]

The Jaekel House is a 2-storey colonial mansion in Ebute Metta, Lagos, Nigeria. The house was built in 1898 on a large expanse of landscaped land and named after the late Francis Jaekel OBE, a former superintendent of the Nigerian Railway Corporation who retired in the 1970s after almost three decades of active service. Jaekel House was formally the residence of the General Manager and was later converted to a senior staff rest house. The building has been renovated and restored by Professor John Godwin in collaboration with the Railway Corporation in 2010. The building is now a “mini Museum” showcasing photographic archives dating from 1940s through to 1970s of personalities, places, historical events in pre- and post-independent Nigeria and houses artefacts of the old Railway Corporation. It's also one of the fairy tale wedding locations in Lagos.

Jaekel House and Museum is now managed and maintained by Legacy1995 to preserve the legacy of the earliest railway tracks, repair yards and sheds in Nigeria.

Some scenes of Kunle Afolayan’s Independence-era movie, October 1, 2019 biopic, The Herbert Macaulay Affair and a Simi music video were shot at Jaekel House.^[3]

Performing arts theater in Lagos, Nigeria. The National Theatre, Nigeria is the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria. The monument is located in Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos. Its construction was completed in 1976 in preparation for the Festival of Arts and Culture in 1977. The National Theatre of Nigeria can be basically described as the NATIONAL HOME OF ENTERTAINMENT. Its management is committed to achieving the objectives for which the National Theatre was established, with regard to the presentation, preservation and promotion of arts and culture in Nigeria. As a partially commercialized Federal Government parastatal, it is determined to broaden its mandate by becoming more innovative and adventurous in order to become more relevant in the competitive market^[5]

Bridge in Lagos, Nigeria. Third Mainland Bridge is the longest of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland, the others are the Eko and Carter bridges. It was the longest bridge in Africa until 1996 when the 6th October Bridge located in Cairo was completed. The bridge starts from Oworonshoki which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi expressway and Lagos-Ibadan expressway, and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island. There is also a link midway through the bridge that leads to Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba. The bridge was built by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC. The phase one of the project was commissioned by President Shehu Shagari in 1980 and completed by President Ibrahim Babangida in 1990; it measures about 11.8 km in length.

By 2006, many commuters had reported that the Third Mainland Bridge was vibrating noticeably, indicating that it needed urgent attention. As a result, remedial work was commenced on portions of the bridge at different times, leading to intermittent partial closure of the bridge. In January 2013, this work was completed.

Recently, there have been rumours of cracks on the bridge. This, however, was denied by authorities. The eight-lane bridge experienced a new look during the last repairing exercise, painting the bridge guide with the colours of Nigeria: green, white, green, and also general painting was done out for a new look. The repair works on the bridge were completed and the bridge was reopened on October 30, 2012.

The Third Mainland Bridge has very high vehicular traffic on weekdays, as many residents commute to and from the Lagos Mainland to the Island, which is the commercial hub of Lagos State. Residents in Ikeja, Agboyi-Ketu, Ikorodu, Isheri, Oworonshoki, Gbagada, Yaba, Maryland and Oshodi often use the bridge on their daily commutes. The Third Mainland Bridge is an essential part of Lagos' daily commuting, and as such requires to be constantly renovated. It has also come to be a major Lagos icon, offering different views of Lagos -- the Lagos Lagoon, the University of Lagos waterfront and Makoko, a shanty town built on the Lagos Lagoon.

On 6 July 2020, it was announced that the Third Mainland Bridge will be closed for six months due to repairs. The bridge was to undergo another round of repairs from Friday, July 24, 2020 to January 24, 2021 for the replacement of bearings and worn-out expansion joints.^[8]

Recreation center in Lagos, Nigeria. Freedom Park is a memorial and leisure park area in the middle of downtown Lagos in Lagos Island, Nigeria which was formerly Her Majesty's Broad Street Prison. It was designed by the Architect Theo Lawson.

The Park was constructed to preserve the history and cultural heritage of Nigerians. Monuments in the park reveal the Lagos colonial heritage and history of Her Majesty's Broad Street prisons. It was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary independence celebration in October, 2010. The Park serves as a National Memorial, a Historical landmark, a Cultural site, Arts and Recreation centre.

The park, when it was a prison hosted some political activists who fought for Nigeria's independence.

The park, which is now a serene abode for individuals, visitors' collective contemplation and interaction is open to the public every day. Today, freedom park has become a venue for diverse social events and recreational entertainment.^[9]