Education
400-year-old British Institution Opens $150m School in Lagos
By Adedapo Adesanya
A 400-year-old British educational institution, Charterhouse, has commissioned its first African school, currently in progress on a sprawling 70-hectare site located at Ogombo in Lekki, Lagos.
The introduction of Charterhouse Lagos marks the convergence of British independent school heritage with cutting-edge educational practices, ushering in a new era of excellence in West African education.
Charterhouse Lagos will represent a remarkable educational undertaking in the commercial capital of the country, with the planned $150 million campus expected to be fully delivered in 2028.
The school’s development will unfold gradually, with the first intake of primary school students in September 2024. On completion, the school will ultimately accommodate students from Years 1-13, ranging from 5 to 18 years old.
Speaking on this, Mr John Todd, the Founding Head of Charterhouse Lagos, expressed his excitement during the school’s launch, stating, “With the opening of Charterhouse Lagos, we are bringing a school to Nigeria with a vision to opening a new chapter in the educational story of West Africa.
“We are bringing world-class education to Nigerian and African parents inspired by Britain and delivered in Lagos. We welcome your children to unprecedented learning opportunities, supported by a world-class purpose-built campus and a first-class learning programme.”
Mr Todd further emphasized the significance of this venture, saying, “We are extremely proud to be the first Charterhouse school on the African continent, and we will ensure the very best of Charterhouse’s traditions and values are infused within our walls while drawing inspiration from the forward-thinking outlook that continues to sustain the institution’s success today.”
On his part, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said, “The establishment of Charterhouse Lagos signifies a watershed moment in the collective effort of the private and public sector of our economy in providing quality education underscoring the importance of broadening the horizon of our children and exposing them to new curricula that will further instil globally acceptable skills in them and position them to compete favourably on the world stage.”
“The collaboration between Charterhouse and the Government in bringing this institution to Lagos serves as a prime example of the power of public-private partnerships. It is through these partnerships that we can bridge the gaps and enhance the quality of education in our state.
“We are indeed very proud that Charterhouse groundbreaking in Africa is Lagos, this to us is an acknowledgement by the international community of our strident efforts in the area of education,” he said.
The Charterhouse Lagos campus will nestle on a total land area of 700,000 square metres. The facilities set for completion in July 2024 for the commencement of Phase 1 in September 2024 will include ta world-class purpose-built campus and a first-class learning programme, Science-Tech- Engineering-Arts-Mathematics (STEAM) labs,
Music, Art, and Drama studios, an aquatics centre (a 25m swimming pool and a training pool, indoor and outdoor football pitches and basketball courts, and a gymnasium.
Other features include a welcome centre, dining hall, a 257-seat lecture theatre, a medical centre, an operations centre, a central administration building, as well as teachers’ apartments.
Phase 2 and 3 of the school’s expansion plans for middle and senior school, respectively, will have boys’ and girls’ boarding houses, a 400m athletics track, a standard football pitch, a dance studio, an indoor NBA standard basketball arena, an indoor sports centre, an 800-seat performing arts theatre, a 3-storey library, and covered sports areas.
Adding to the development, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Johnny Baxter said, “Their goal is to be global in their outlook and local in their focus, by blending the best of contemporary educational thinking with the finest traditions in British independent schooling.
“Charterhouse Lagos is bringing not just the brand but the same standard of education you will get from a British school in the UK immersed in the Nigerian culture thereby giving their students the best of British education in a multicultural environment.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Prize for Literature has unveiled an 11-title longlist for its 2026 edition, selecting the outstanding poetry collections from a record 223 submissions received for the competition.
This was contained in a press statement signed by General Manager, External Relations & Sustainable Development, Mrs Sophia Horsfall.
The announcement, by the chairman of the Advisory Board for the Prize, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, marks a significant milestone in this year’s competition and reflects the exceptional quality, creativity and diversity of contemporary poetry.
The longlisted titles, arranged alphabetically, are:
1. Adult Love by Tanure Ojaide
2. Bakandimiya by Saddiq Dzukogi
3. Black Passport by Paul Akpomuje
4. 2000 Blacks by Ajibola Tolase
5. Ceremony for The Nameless by Theresa Lola
6. Corpus: Animistic Verses by Ayo Oyeku
1. Floral’s Love Colony by Tares Oburumu
2. The Origin of Wounds by Malik Gbolahan
3. The Years of Blood by Adebayo Agarau
4. Unbind Me Now by James Ugwu Eze
5. Why Does God Need a Gun by Ogaga Ifowodo
Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo described the announcement as an important stage in the 2026 edition of arguably Africa’s biggest and most prestigious literary Prize.
She noted that the collections demonstrate the remarkable capacity of poetry to illuminate human experience through thoughtful reflection, cultural memory and artistic expression.
The academic added that the works revisit history while interrogating dominant historical narratives and exposing the forces that shape collective identities and social relations.
She stated that despite their varied emphases, the books share a commitment to exploring the endurance of individuals and communities in the face of violence, oppression, and social fragmentation.
Commenting on style and language, she said the books display an impressive diversity of poetic techniques marked by lyrical intensity, symbolic depth, and artistic innovation.
“Many employ densely poetic, allegorical, and elegiac modes that invite multiple layers of interpretation, while others draw extensively on folklore, oral traditions, and contemporary realities to create a compelling fusion of past and present. Their language is generally fluid, evocative, and aesthetically refined, relying on vivid imagery, emotional resonance, and intellectual sophistication to communicate complex ideas. These works demonstrate how poetic language can illuminate social realities, challenge established perspectives, and give voice to both individual and collective experiences.
“The next stage will demand a closer reading of each work, with attention to language, form, originality and lasting literary value,” she stated.
She also commended the judges for their work and reaffirmed the Advisory Board’s commitment to a credible process, literary excellence and the promotion of a strong reading culture.
The announcement of the 11-title longlist formally opens the next phase of the shortlist of three in August and the possible announcement of the winner in October.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by NLNG, carries a cash award of $100,000 for the author of the winning book. In its 22nd year, the prize rotates annually across four genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature – with the 2026 edition devoted to poetry.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has slashed the fees for the assessment and ranking of textbooks ahead of the implementation of the National Textbook Ranking Policy scheduled to commence in September 2026.
The reduction, approved through the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), was aimed at easing the financial burden on publishers and authors while facilitating compliance with the new national textbook quality assurance framework.
The decision comes ahead of the implementation of the National Textbook Ranking Policy introduced by the Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, to improve the quality and standardisation of instructional materials used in schools across the country.
Announcing the development in a statement on Wednesday, the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Mr Salisu Shehu, said the assessment fee had been reduced from N2,000 to N1,500 per page, while the ranking fee for each textbook title had been cut from N1 million to N750,000.
He said the revised fees take immediate effect and apply to all publishers and authors submitting textbooks for assessment and ranking.
Mr Shehu also disclosed that publishers who had already paid the previous assessment fee of N2,000 per page would receive refunds of the excess payments, adding that details of the refund process would be announced in due course.
He urged all stakeholders in the publishing industry to comply with the new fee regime.
“Under the policy, only textbooks that have been assessed, approved and ranked by NERDC will be approved for use in Nigerian classrooms from September 2026, while unranked textbooks will no longer be permitted,” he said.
Meanwhile, the minister explained that the initiative was designed to tackle the proliferation of textbooks in schools and ensure that teachers and learners have access to high-quality, curriculum-compliant instructional materials.
The minister restated that NERDC will continue to exercise its statutory responsibility of approving textbooks for use in schools, but that approval alone would no longer be sufficient under the new policy.
“Instead, every approved textbook will undergo a structured national evaluation and ranking process by expert committees to determine the most suitable and highest-quality books for each subject and level of education,” he said.
The minister was optimistic that the National Textbook Ranking Policy will strengthen quality assurance in education by providing schools, teachers and parents with reliable guidance on the best instructional materials for teaching and learning.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A free educational initiative to equip children with practical Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills needed to grow, thrive and prosper in a rapidly evolving world has been put together in Lagos.
The programme, Young Innovators Camp, commenced on Monday in the Lekki area of Lagos State. It is organised by MONAT, with Fidelity Bank as the sponsor.
Participating children, who must be between 4 and 10 years, will have a hands-on learning experience focused on creativity, innovation, problem-solving and critical thinking. They will be introduced to age-appropriate STEM concepts, guided build sessions and other engaging activities designed to stimulate curiosity and encourage practical learning.
The camp will also feature small group learning with facilitators, financial literacy sessions, creative activities, and other interactive experiences that support confidence-building among participants.
Every participant will also receive a specially curated gift pack filled with educational resources and STEM learning materials to encourage continued exploration and learning at home, making the camp both a memorable and transformative experience.
The Young Innovators Camp reinforces Fidelity Bank’s ongoing investment in initiatives that prepare children and young people for the future. It builds on the bank’s education-focused interventions, including initiatives such as SWEETA, which supports children, and the lender’s broader CSR agenda, which prioritises youth empowerment, education, skills development and access to opportunities that can improve long-term outcomes for individuals and communities.
“The future will be shaped by those who can solve problems, think creatively, and harness technology to improve lives.
“At Fidelity Bank, we believe these abilities should be nurtured from an early age.
“Through the Young Innovators Camp, we are giving children the opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics in a fun, practical and engaging way that inspires curiosity, builds confidence, and encourages innovation.
“We want every child who participates to leave believing that they have the potential not just to succeed in the future, but to help create it,” the Divisional Head of Brand and Communications at Fidelity Bank, Mr Meksley Nwagboh, said.
“As a bank committed to helping people grow, thrive and prosper, we see education, particularly STEM education, as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future.
“Today’s young innovators will become tomorrow’s engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, inventors and technology leaders.
“By partnering with Monat, we are investing in a generation equipped with the skills, mindset and confidence to solve real-world challenges, create opportunities, and contribute meaningfully to national development.
“This is more than a summer camp; it is about unlocking potential and inspiring the next generation of innovators,” he added.
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