The Ecobank Design and Build Exhibition 2025 slated for September 24 to 28 at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC), Lagos, will have two personalities in the real estate business in attendance.
Ecobank, which is behind the event, said the celebrated architect, Mr Christian Benimana, and a leading urban planning scholar, Professor Taibat Lawanson, will grace the programme.
The exhibition’s knowledge exchange sessions will also feature International vs. Local: The Sourcing Question for Interior Design with Patrick Koshoni, Tola Akerele, Aishat Lawal, and Adeyemo Shokunbi; Women in Design & Architecture with Jacqueline Aki, Safiya Yahaya, Nwamaka Okoye, and Sandra Edoho; and insights from Malik Afegbua, Remi Dada, Adewunmi Adegbola, and Omon Anenih, exploring the future of design, technology, wellness, and sustainability.
Mr Benimana, who is the co-founder of the African Design Centre and principal at MASS Design Group, is internationally recognized for advancing socially responsive and sustainable African architecture. He will deliver a keynote address titled Designing the Future on Day 3 of the exhibition.
On her part, Prof Lawanson, who is Leverhulme Professor of Planning and Heritage at the University of Liverpool, will lead a session on Designing Better Cities and Homes in Nigeria on Day 2. The scholar is widely respected for her groundbreaking research on African urban informality, housing, and spatial justice.
“These sessions will deliver practical insights and fresh perspectives that can shape the future of design, construction, and architecture across Africa,” the Head of SMEs at Ecobank Nigeria, Omoboye Odu, noted.
The Ecobank Design and Build Exhibition 2025 underscores the bank’s broader commitment to empowering entrepreneurs, driving financial inclusion, and connecting local businesses with global opportunities.
The lender continues to invest in the growth of SMEs through initiatives such as the Adire Lagos Experience, +234 Art Fair, Ecobank National Schools Team Chess Championship, and Oja Oge 2025. These efforts are complemented by extensive training and empowerment programs designed to strengthen businesses nationwide.