Tracking the tallest buildings in Nigeria offers insight into investment trends, real estate development, and infrastructure planning. These towers house a mix of corporate offices, luxury apartments, and civic services, making them important nodes in Nigeria’s evolving metropolis.
They also serve as symbols of technological advancement and national pride. As the skyline keeps reaching higher, it’s worth exploring which buildings define the height of Nigeria’s ambition.
Ranking the Top 10 Tallest Buildings
Below is a snapshot of the ten tallest completed buildings in Nigeria, ranked by architectural height:
1. NECOM House, Lagos
- Height: 160 m (526 ft)
- Floors: 32
- Completed: 1979
Overview: Formerly the NET and NITEL buildings, NECOM House remains Nigeria’s tallest completed building. Designed by Nickson Borys & Partners and built by Costain, this concrete skyscraper stands prominently at Marina, Lagos Island.
Why it matters:
As the first tall structure to dominate the West African skyline, NECOM House represents a peak of late-20th-century ambition. Its iconic communications spire doubles as a beacon for ships entering Lagos Harbour. Despite two significant fires (1983 and 2015), the building remains fully operational, housing organisations like NITEL and various enterprises.
2. Eko Champagne Pearl Tower, Lagos
- Height: 134 m (440 ft)
- Floors: 30 residential floors + technical, ground, and basement levels
- Completed: 2017
Overview: A luxurious residential skyscraper in Eko Atlantic’s Pearl Towers complex, offering stunning Atlantic Ocean views and upscale amenities like rooftop terraces and health clubs.
Why it stands out: Now Nigeria’s tallest residential tower, its generous ceilings and ocean vistas set a new benchmark in vertical living.
3. Union Bank Building, Lagos
- Height: 124 m (407 ft)
- Floors: 28 office levels
- Completed: 1991
Overview: A commercial mainstay at 36 Marina, this reinforced-concrete tower serves as Union Bank’s headquarters and remains a key piece of Lagos’s financial district.
Why it matters: As the city’s third-tallest building, it marks a shift towards modern commercial architecture in post-1980 Lagos.
4. World Trade Centre Tower 2, Abuja
- Height: 120 m (394 ft)
- Floors: 25 office stories
- Completed: 2016
Overview: Marketed as Abuja’s premier Grade-A office complex, its 25 floors support high-end international offices and business suites.
Why it matters: It put Abuja on the high-rise map and signaled the city’s growing importance as a corporate hub beyond Lagos.
5. Eko Tower II, Lagos
- Height: 118.3 m (388 ft)
- Floors: 27 above-ground levels
- Completed: 2016
Overview: Known locally as Eko Hotel Roundabout, this mixed-use tower includes guest rooms, retail, dining, and conference spaces.
Why it matters: As Lagos’s tallest structure on Victoria Island, it showcases innovative mixed-use architecture catering to business and tourism sectors.
6. Eko Black Pearl Tower, Lagos
- Height: ~112 m (367 ft)
- Floors: 24 residential levels
- Completed: 2016
Overview: Sister tower to Champagne Pearl, this luxurious residential high-rise within Pearl Towers features penthouses, fitness amenities, and landscaped terraces.
Why it matters: It exemplifies upscale urban living, helping make vertical residences standard in luxury development.
7. 4 Bourdillon, Lagos
- Height: 110 m (361 ft)
- Floors: 25
- Completed: 2020
Overview: Located in Ikoyi, this twin-tower luxury residential complex features 41 units, including duplex flats and penthouses, alongside high-end amenities like a clubhouse, gym, and swimming pool .
Why it matters: At 110 m and 25 stories, 4 Bourdillon exemplifies modern urban living in Lagos, setting a new benchmark in aesthetic design and high-rise comfort in West Africa .
8. World Trade Centre Tower 1, Abuja
- Height: 110 m (361 ft)
- Floors: 24 residential floors
- Completed: 2016
Overview: The residential component of Abuja’s World Trade Centre complex, Tower 1 offers 120 apartments, including duplexes and penthouses, and was briefly the city’s tallest residential tower.
Why it matters: Tower 1 showcases Abuja’s expansion into high-rise residential development, signaling a shift toward denser urban living outside Lagos.
9. Dakkada Tower, Uyo
- Height: 108.8 m (357 ft)
- Floors: 21
- Completed: 2020
Overview: As Akwa Ibom State’s tallest building, this smart office tower includes 500 parking spaces, four elevators, and central cooling, serving as a landmark for Uyo’s CBD .
Why it matters: Dakkada Tower demonstrates a move toward commercial high-rises in Nigeria’s secondary cities, underscoring regional urban development.
10. Cocoa House, Ibadan
- Height: 105 m (344 ft)
- Floors: 26
- Completed: 1965
Overview: Africa’s first skyscraper, funded by cocoa-export revenues, Cocoa House once symbolized economic independence and modernity in West Africa. It remains a commercial and historical icon .
Why it matters: As Nigeria’s early high-rise pioneer, Cocoa House paved the way for subsequent skyscrapers and continues to be a cultural and architectural touchstone.
Emerging Skyscrapers
- Millennium Tower, Abuja
- Height: ~170 m, topped out in 2014 but not fully completed
- Status: Structurally topped out; mixed-use tower, including office spaces, cultural facilities, an observation deck, and revolving restaurant, but awaiting full opening
Despite being inactive for nearly a decade and only about 40 % completed in parts, Millennium Tower remains Abuja’s tallest structure. Its three cylindrical pillars, linked by a glass disc section, dominate the skyline. Once completed, it’s expected to catalyze development in the Central Business District and serve as a signature national landmark .
- First Bank Headquarters, Eko Atlantic City, Lagos
- Planned Height: ~252 m, 40+ floors
- Status: Approved and work has commenced as of early 2025
Approved in March 2025, this eco-friendly tower is set to be Nigeria’s tallest when completed. With green-certified design, advanced structural engineering, and a modern aesthetic, it reflects a new era of high-rise development, anchoring Lagos’s ambition in sustainable architecture .
Regional Landscape
- Lagos: Nigeria’s Skyscraper Capital
Lagos dominates Nigeria’s high-rise scene, 7 of the current top 10 buildings are in the city, especially along the prestigious Eko Atlantic and Marina districts. From NECOM House to residential icons like Champagne Pearl, Lagos showcases rapid urban densification driven by population growth, commercial expansion, and land scarcity.
- Abuja: Rising Beyond the Plateau
Once known for mid-rise government buildings, Abuja is now home to the World Trade Centre Towers 1 & 2 (110 m and 120 m) and the still-unfinished Millennium Tower (170 m). These developments reflect a shift in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) toward private investment and mixed-use incomers.
- Beyond the Capitals: Uyo & Ibadan
Two lesser-known cities on the list are Uyo and Ibadan. Dakkada Tower (108.8 m) marks Uyo’s ascent as a commercial centre, while Cocoa House (105 m) boasts a legacy as West Africa’s first skyscraper. These buildings demonstrate that vertical growth is now a national phenomenon, not just an urban luxury limited to Lagos and Abuja.
Dutum’s Take on Tallest Buildings Designs in Nigeria
At Dutum Construction Group, we recognize that skyscrapers are not just about height but about precision, safety, and innovation. Our team has decades of experience working with the most critical components of high-rise construction: from load-bearing structural systems to deep foundation works and reinforced concrete cores.
We are deeply committed to sustainable engineering shown by our use of eco-friendly materials to incorporate passive design strategies that reduce energy consumption. Every structure we touch complies strictly with Nigeria’s building regulations and international safety standards, ensuring excellence from blueprint to build. And with our future-facing perspective and proven track record, Dutum is uniquely positioned to lead the next generation of skyscraper construction in Nigeria.
Need a Partner for High-Rise Development? Trust Dutum Group.
At Dutum, we understand the unique challenges and demands of building tall in Nigeria. From foundation design to structural load calculations and project execution, we deliver excellence backed by decades of experience and innovative thinking.
Contact Us
Visit our website at Dutum Group
Email: info@dutumgroup.com
We are proudly located in:
Abuja:
10 Danube Close, Off Danube Crescent, Maitama
Phone: +234 805 831 7200
Lagos:
2 Abisogun Road, Off Palace Road, Oniru Estate, Maroko
Phone: +234 805 831 7200
Ibadan:
Isaac’s Place, Opp. TOTAL Petrol Station, Onireke, G.R.A Dugbe
Phone: +234 706 967 1901
Conclusion
Nigeria’s tallest buildings, like NECOM House, Champagne Pearl, and Dakkada Tower, are testaments to progress and innovation. As we’ve seen in this ranking, skyscrapers are no longer restricted to a few elite zones. They are rising across the country, driven by urban demand, investor interest, and the need to use land more efficiently.
However, with height comes responsibility. As our cities stretch upward, engineering excellence and foresight must anchor every decision. Structural stability, environmental sustainability, and regulatory integrity are essential for the success of these ambitious projects. Firms like Dutum Group are ready to take on this challenge, helping shape a skyline that is not only taller, but also safer, greener, and smarter for generations to come.
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