The National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, has undergone the first phase of rehabilitation, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and is now ready to host the conference on “Linking Tourism, Culture, and the Creative Industries” organized by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC), the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and the Lagos State Government collaborated closely on the rehabilitation project, which was being carried out by the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee in 2020, according to a statement released by the CBN’s Director of Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi. The goal of the rehabilitation was to restore the theater to its former splendor.
The theater’s heart has been rebuilt, according to Nwanisobi, over the course of the last 18 months, with the addition of more than 70 historic sculptures, mosaics, resin, brass, and wood friezes, as well as stained-glass pieces.
He stated:
“When the second phase of the rehabilitation is completed in March, 2023, the national theatre will be restored to its original glory. A 5,000-seater main amphitheatre comparable to anything else in the world will sit at its heart, flanked by two world-class cinema rooms, banquet halls and a library.”
The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, stated that the theater was a symbol of Nigeria’s culture and heritage and that it needed to be at the center of efforts to support and celebrate the creative industries.
