Once the beating heart of Nigeria’s entertainment scene—where movies were watched, plays were staged, and dreams took flight—the National Theatre in Lagos had long succumbed to neglect and mismanagement.
But thanks to the timely intervention of a Bankers Committee, this national monument is now on the brink of a grand revival.
Built under the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon and later completed by Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, the National Theatre was designed by the Bulgarian construction company Techno Exporstroy ahead of the 1977 Festival of Arts and Culture.
Its distinctive exterior, fashioned to resemble a military hat, was inspired by the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria, and the edifice once boasted a 5,000-seat Main Hall, two cinema halls, and state-of-the-art facilities capable of simultaneous translation in eight languages.
While many young Nigerians today see the National Theatre as a symbol and nothing more, the edifice played a huge role in Nigerian pop culture in the 80s. The edifice was the go-to location to host all Nigerian state government functions and musical extravaganzas. The late Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Roy Ayers, Skyy, Shalamar, Whispers, Third World and Dynasty all performed at the National Theatre.
Many of the movies produced and released in the infancy of Nollywood were aired there, and it hosted other stage plays like Wole Soyinka’s adaptation of D.O Fagunwa’s Langbodo and even hosted the legendary Stevie Wonder, who received one of his numerous Grammy Awards at the National Theatre.
Four years ago, the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as well as banks under the aegis of the Bankers’ Committee, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formally commence the renovation of the National Arts Theatre with the goal that it would become the number one event centre in Africa and the transformation began in July 2021.
Now nearing completion, the restoration has seen a complete overhaul of the theatre’s infrastructure. The HVAC system has been replaced, fire safety standards upgraded, and power, water, and sewage systems have all been revamped.
The interior now features cutting-edge Audio, Video and Lighting systems, world-class stage engineering, eleven new elevators, solar power installations, modern furnishings, and a meticulous restoration of its iconic artworks and façade. Even the once-dilapidated lobbies, banqueting hall, exhibition spaces, cinemas, VIP areas, and actor changing rooms have received a significant upgrade.
Segun Agbaje, Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, summed it up: “I don’t think there are many countries in Africa that have the talent that we have in entertainment and the arts. All you can do when you have talented people is to give them a platform to showcase their best. We will try to give a platform, where Nigerians who are, in my opinion, the best have a chance to show the world that they are the best.”
Last year, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu renamed it after Professor Wole Soyinka. The restored National Theatre is not merely a physical renovation—it is poised to become a vibrant hub for Nigeria’s creative youth.
The committee aims for the theatre to become the centre of a new creative ecosystem that would foster film, fashion, information technology and music, alongside other critical amenities with the ultimate objective of unleashing opportunities for the youth, competence and capacity building and enhancement of the prospects for revenue generation.
With promises of job creation, income generation, and even foreign exchange earnings, the revamped institution is set to nurture the growth of Nigeria’s entertainment and creative industries. As community spaces and performance venues get a new lease of life, the Bankers Committee’s intervention may well signal the dawn of a renaissance in Nigerian arts and culture.
