8 Upcoming Arena Developments in Nigeria

Despite Nigeria’s large population, the supply of large-scale facilities to support mega concerts, exhibitions, and other similar events is inadequate. When these events take place, existing venues run beyond capacity, or they take place in open fields that lack critical amenities, making the experience inconvenient for attendees.

By 2028, however, Nigeria’s cultural, sports and entertainment landscape will rapidly expand through the delivery of several new stadia and arena projects. Estate Intel data shows that there are over 30,000 new arena seats and more than 110,000 seats in additional stadium capacity in Nigeria’s leisure and entertainment development pipeline. As with other sectors, there are many other unannounced conceptual projects still in the planning stages.

In this article, Estate Intel highlights 4 upcoming arena projects and 4 ongoing stadium developments in Nigeria.

• Abuja City Walk Arena

The Abuja City Walk Arena forms part of the broader Abuja City Walk masterplan, a 250-hectare mixed-use city located along Airport Road, Lugbe, within Abuja Technology Village (ATV) Free Trade Zone. Phase 1 of the development is currently being implemented and will deliver approximately 245,000 m² of built space across 185,000 m² of land in total, encompassing residential apartments and townhouses, a 15,000 m² hotel, 30,000 m² of offices, fashion avenue retail, a school, a university campus, a hospital and approximately 12,000 m² of cultural space.

The scheme will also include a 13,000-seat indoor arena, set to become the largest indoor arena in Nigeria upon completion. Project team members include MAG International Links Limited as the Developer in joint partnership with the FCT administration and Benoy as the Architect.

• Lagos Arena

Lagos Arena was formally announced and broke ground in February 2024 in a ceremony attended by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Minister of Sports Development. The $100 million project is driven by a public-private partnership anchored by Persianas Group, with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) holding a 40.5% stake. Other investors include Live Nation, Pak View Group, Yinka Folawiyo Group, Adino Capital and MBO Group.

The Lagos Arena sits on 26,836 sqm of land that was originally for the extension of The Palms mall, Lekki, but the plan was put on hold. The project will have a 12,000-person capacity, making it twice the size of the Eko Convention Centre, which accommodates 6,000 people, and significantly larger than the Balmoral Convention Centre and the National Theatre, with capacities of 4,500 and 5,000, respectively. Upon completion, the arena will feature a retractable seating system, a car park within the project environment and The Palms mall parking space to cater for over 1,000 vehicles. 

The Lagos Arena was designed by Yazgan Design Architecture, a Turkish-based company specialised in building large-scale sports infrastructure. Elalan Construction Company has been assigned as the Main Contractor, and Metrowaves Sports & Infrastructure Limited is the Developer. The development was originally targeted for completion in December 2025; however, they are currently in the piling stage and are actively on site, pushing the estimated completion date to December 2027. 

• Abuja Conference and Exhibition Arena (ACE Arena)

The Abuja Conference and Exhibition Arena (ACE Arena) was recently announced on May 18, 2026, from a cooperation agreement between the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to deliver a world-class conference and exhibition complex in Abuja, aimed at positioning the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a premier destination for global meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE).

Under the PPP framework, the IFC will provide BoI with early-stage advisory services, conducting market, financial, environmental, legal, and regulatory assessments to determine the project’s scope, infrastructure mix, and financing structure. The venue will integrate conference and exhibition halls, staging areas, hospitality, retail, and cultural facilities. Capacity and construction timelines are yet to be finalised as the project remains in its conceptual stage.

• Mefa Abuja Concert Arena

On the 10th of June, 2025, Mefa, an entertainment company, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy (FMACTCE) and the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) to develop the Mefa Abuja Concert Arena, a 4,500 capacity arena located at the Arts and Crafts Village, Abuja.

The arena will feature an adaptable stage, sound and lighting, VIP hospitality, and digital integration, and is expected to accommodate live entertainment, music, sports, cultural festivals, film, conventions, exhibitions, and weddings. 

The development is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by 2026. According to Yinka Obebe, the CEO of Mefa, the Abuja concert arena is designed to host up to 250 events annually and will be the first phase of the larger plan to extend development in Lagos, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Jos, and Kaduna.

Nigeria’s stadium infrastructure pipeline has increased in the last 2 years.

There has also been an increase in sports infrastructure developments across the country. The National Sports Commission recently stated its plans for the sports sector to contribute at least 3% of GDP annually. For this to become a reality, the right infrastructure must be in place, and that transformation is already underway. Here are some of the stadiums recently proposed, remodelled or currently under construction.

• Abia State International Stadium City

In January 2025, Governor Alex Otti announced plans for an Olympic-standard stadium as part of the larger stadium city. The Abia International Stadium city will include sports, entertainment and residential facilities, all located on a 96-hectare expanse of land in Uzuakoli Road, Umuahia.

The stadium will be developed under a public-private partnership arrangement, with private investors expected to finance construction and recoup costs through stadium management over an agreed period. Abia State Government partners with development partners, the Irish Development Group, and the Chinese firm, Tianjin-Yuyang Construction Engineering Co. Limited. The stadium will have a seating capacity of 35,000 people.

• Ahmadu Bello Stadium Remodelling

Kaduna state Governor, Uba Sani, has announced plans to remodel the Ahmadu Bello Stadium to meet FIFA standards. Originally built in 1965, the stadium now requires a comprehensive upgrade to align with modern sporting infrastructure standards. Upon completion, the redeveloped stadium will become a 32,000-capacity venue.

• Warri City Stadium Remodelling

Warri City Stadium is currently being reconstructed by the current Government of Delta State with the aim of transforming the existing stadium into a world-class multi-purpose facility. It is located at Cemetery Road in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria and will have a capacity of 20,000. Reconstruction started in 2025 and is now nearing completion.

• Bayelsa State International Stadium

In 2025, the Bayelsa State Government announced its plans to build a 25,000-seat stadium located in Igbogene, Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. The Bayelsa International Stadium is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in 2027.

Are you looking to develop an arena, stadium, or sports facility? 

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