General
Nigerian Among Africa’s Leading Architects
By Dipo Olowookere
At a gala awards ceremony held on the rooftop of the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, the inaugural Grand Prix and Category Winners of the Africa Architecture Awards were announced on the evening of Thursday, September 28, 2017.
Over 130 VIP guests were in attendance at this glittering event, including the Consul-General of France in Cape Town, Mr Laurent Amar, the Chairman of the French South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philip Geromont, and Claude van Wyk of the Kingdom of The Netherlands Consulate General in Cape Town.
The shortlisted finalists were flown into South Africa from across the continent and the world, and hosted by awards founder and sponsor Saint-Gobain.
The much-anticipated gala was the culmination of an ambitious two-year awards programme that was initiated and supported by construction industry innovator Saint-Gobain with the ultimate aim of stimulating conversations about African architecture as it cements its place in a global continuum. The Africa Architecture Awards is the first-ever Pan-African awards programme of its kind.
A steering panel headed by Professor Lesley Lokko guided the awards with strategic input from Ambassador Phill Mashabane, advisor Zahira Asmal, and patron Sir David Adjaye, one of the globe’s most influential voices in architecture.
According to Adjaye, “The Africa Architecture Awards are very critical. Now is the time to promote excellence and best practice on the continent. The Africa Architecture Awards are particularly important because this is the moment that a lot is happening on the continent in terms of development, in terms of the architecture that’s being produced.”
Adjaye’s statement is borne out by the high level of interest the competition has received from architects working on projects located in Africa. Over 300 projects from 32 African countries were entered into the awards.
For the inaugural edition of the Africa Architecture Awards, the organisers set themselves an initial target of 150 entries from 20 African countries. Consider then, what a huge task faced the Master Jury when the awards exceeded all expectations and grew to 307 entries from 32 countries in Africa – more than double the size of what was initially envisaged.
The initial shortlist of 21 projects was chosen by the Master Jury and announced earlier in 2017. Chaired by Dr Mark Olweny, the jury comprised leading African architects and academics including: Anna Abengowe (Nigeria), Guillaume Koffi (Ivory Coast), Professor Edgar Pieterse (South Africa), Patti Anahory (Cape Verde), Tanzeem Razak (South Africa), and Phill Mashabane (South Africa).
The Master Jury then reconvened for two days prior to the awards ceremony to evaluate the 21 shortlisted projects and decide on the most deserving entries across four categories.
Through the Master Jury’s dedication and considered response to an unprecedented challenge, the final category winners – each of whom received a specially designed bronze trophy – were decided as follows: Critical Dialogue: Forum de Arquitectura – by CEICA, Angola; Speculative: The Territory In-between, Cape Verde – by Guinea’s Aissata Balde, Graduate School of Architecture, University of Johannesburg; Emerging Voices: The Exchange Consulate: Trading Passports for Hyper-Performative Economic Enclaves, South Africa – by Nigerian student Ogundare Olawale Israel of the Graduate School of Architecture, University of Johannesburg; Built: Umkhumbane Museum, South Africa – by Choromanski Architects, South Africa.
The Grand Prix was awarded to the project that best describes the ultimate objective of the Africa Architecture Awards, which is to inspire the future of African architecture. The Grand Prix winner received both a bespoke trophy and the cash prize of USD$10 000. Umkhumbane Museum, South Africa by Choromanski Architects was named the overall winner.
In addition to the projects highlighted by the Master Jury, the awards programme ran a public participation component earlier in 2017, where members of the public could vote for their favourite project. The People’s Choice Award had over a million viewers and votes across a range of projects stretching from kiosks to urban regeneration schemes. The winning project received a Certificate of Excellence at the ceremony and this went to James Cubitt Architects Lagos for the speculative project titled Bank Head Office in Lagos, Nigeria.
Commenting on the outcome of the first iteration of the awards, the MD of Saint-Gobain Retail Division, Evan Lockhart-Barker states that, “Although this is only the first edition of the Africa Architecture Awards, we believe we have captured an incredible moment in time for Pan-African architecture. Having launched the first-ever awards of its kind, we’ve seen the incredible response from architects working across the continent. The values and aspirations displayed in the awards have led to incredible insights about the continent and its shape-shifting ways.”
“Yet we still have a way to go to write our own story about architecture and its role here. Africa is indeed rising but due to the continent’s resourcefulness and complex regional identities, we’ve already learnt that our awards programme requires even more diversity to capture Africa and all its spectrums. We look to future editions of the awards to achieve this.”
Following the awards ceremony on the Thursday evening, a thought-provoking public colloquium titled ‘Celebrating Architecture in Africa’ was held on Friday, 29 September 2017 at the University of Cape Town. With a speaker line-up of 21 specialists from across the world, the free event, which was also supported by Saint-Gobain, provided a platform to discuss the awards in more detail and explore architecture within the African context.
Providing access to information about architecture in Africa and ensuring that this knowledge is shared widely and freely to the continent is a primary and ongoing aim of the awards. This is evidenced in events such as the colloquium, as well as publications such as the Africa Architecture Awards’ digital portal, Documenting all 307 projects entered into the awards via video, images and text, this digital asset now stands as one of the most vibrant and extensive repositories of contemporary African architecture to date.
Described as the “4th Revolution” in Africa, digital channels and technology shift paradigms daily on the continent. From the outset, awards founder Saint-Gobain has embraced the role of digital media to promote architectural practice and dialogue to broader audiences than traditionally enjoyed by institutional award structures.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The South African Consulate General in Lagos, in partnership with Brand South Africa and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), is hosting the 4th edition of the South Africa Focus Week in Lagos, Nigeria, from April 22 – 26, 2026.
The annual platform continues to grow as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering social cohesion between South Africans and Nigerians while positioning South Africa as a preferred destination for business, tourism, and education. Since its inception in 2023, South Africa Focus Week has attracted over 1,500 participants, bringing together stakeholders from across sectors, including trade and investment, arts and culture, tourism, aviation, and the culinary industry.
The 2026 edition holds particular significance as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s democratic Constitution, enacted in 1996, as well as 32 years of unbroken diplomatic relations between South Africa and Nigeria, established in February 1994. These milestones underscore the enduring partnership between the two nations, rooted in shared history and strengthened through formal agreements and ongoing collaboration.
The 2025 economic relationship between South Africa and Nigeria reflects a strategically significant, multi-dimensional partnership anchored in trade, energy security, investment flows, and strong institutional cooperation. While bilateral trade remains structurally imbalanced – with South Africa exporting US$468.48 million and importing $1.69 billion, resulting in a $1.22 billion deficit – this dynamic is largely driven by South Africa’s reliance on Nigerian crude oil, positioning the relationship as one of strategic interdependence rather than imbalance alone.
This partnership is further elevated by the relative economic weight of both countries. According to IMF projections, South Africa’s economy is valued at approximately $443.6 billion, while Nigeria’s stands at around $334.3 billion in nominal terms for 2026. As two of the largest economies on the continent, their bilateral engagement constitutes a central axis of African economic activity, with disproportionate influence on the success of continental integration efforts.
Beyond trade, the relationship is reinforced by deep two-way investment linkages. South African firms -including MTN Group, Shoprite, and Standard Bank – maintain a strong presence in Nigeria, while Nigerian companies such as Access Bank and Paystack have established a growing footprint in South Africa. Although investment flows are asymmetrical and some Nigerian firms have faced operational challenges, these exchanges reflect an emerging bi-directional economic corridor that extends beyond goods trade into services, finance, and digital innovation.
Aligned with Brand South Africa’s mandate to build the country’s global reputation and competitiveness, the week-long programme will convene leaders from government, business, civil society, academia, and the media. Discussions will focus on leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a tool for market access and global positioning, with Nigeria serving as a key focal point.
The South Africa Focus Week has features a series of high-level engagements and cultural activities designed to deepen economic ties and promote collaboration: South Africa–Nigeria Infrastructure Investment Conference (April 22, 2026) which was held under the theme South Africa–Nigeria Partnership: Unlocking Infrastructure Opportunities,” the conference will bring together key stakeholders in infrastructure development to explore collaborative projects in road, rail, and transportation systems.
The forum also examined the role of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) and facilitated discussions on project financing and implementation with institutions such as the DBSA and Nigeria’s Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
This was followed by the 2nd Economic Diplomacy Roundtable (Thursday, April 23, 2026), which was hosted in partnership with MTN Nigeria under the theme Role of Technology in Infrastructure Development, the roundtable will convene senior government officials, private sector leaders, and industry experts to identify investment opportunities and strengthen strategic partnerships.
Friday, April 24, was for Arts and Culture Experience, which is a dedicated cultural day will showcase Lagos’ creative spaces and features a panel discussion on South Africa’s arts, film, music, and culture. The programme includes a South African film screening, engagements with filmmakers, and a networking reception aimed at fostering collaboration between the creative industries of both countries.
The event continues on Thursday, April 25, with Freedom Day Celebration and Closing Ceremony. This commemorative event will celebrate 30 years of South Africa’s Constitution, 32 years of freedom and democracy, and the enduring diplomatic relations between South Africa and Nigeria. The ceremony will also provide an opportunity to reflect on outcomes from the week and outline future areas of cooperation.
The celebration forms part of Brand South Africa’s Global South Africans Programme, which recognises and connects South Africans in the diaspora as ambassadors of the nation’s values and identity.
The week climaxes with the 4th edition of the South Africa Golf Tournament at Ikoyi Golf Club on Saturday, April 26, 2026, which will be done in partnership with Crossflex International.
According to a statement, the event aims to strengthen people-to-people relations through sports diplomacy, bringing together South African and Nigerian golfers in a spirit of camaraderie and collaboration.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The former chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, Mr Tunde Ayeni, has been apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Spokesperson of the anti-money laundering agency, Mr Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrest of the businessman on Friday but declined to provide further details, according to TheCable.
Mr Ayeni was accused of diverting the N36.5 billion and $30 million loans from Polaris Bank Limited to companies with which he has links.
He was alleged to have obtained the credit facilities for marine security, electricity distribution, and real estate projects, but moved them to telecom investments tied to NITEL/MTEL assets via a NATCOM account.
After the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revoked the operating licence of Skye Bank in 2018, it nationalised it to Polaris Bank.
The EFCC has been looking into the alleged diversion of funds by Mr Ayeni, resulting in his arrest in Abuja on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
He is being grilled over the matter and would be arraigned in court once the investigation is concluded.
This is not the first time Mr Ayeni has been nabbed and probed by the EFCC, as this happened a few months after his bank lost its licence.
The then acting spokesman for the EFCC, Mr Tony Orilade, said Mr Ayeni was quizzed by detectives over issues related to fraud and embezzlement allegedly committed by him when he was Chairman of the bank a few years ago.
By Adedapo Adesanya
“We are fully committed to working with the new Commissioner of Police and giving all necessary support towards the successful discharge of his responsibilities.”
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