Ecobank Nigeria has announced that internationally acclaimed architect, Christian Benimana and renowned urban planning scholar Prof. Taibat Lawanson will headline the Ecobank Design and Build Exhibition 2025, scheduled to hold from September 24 to 28 at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC), Victoria Island, Lagos.
Arc. Benimana, co-founder of the African Design Centre and principal at MASS Design Group, is celebrated for advancing socially responsive and sustainable architecture across Africa. He will deliver a keynote lecture on Day 3 of the exhibition, titled “Designing the Future.”
Prof. Lawanson, Leverhulme Professor of Planning and Heritage at the University of Liverpool, is widely recognised for her research on African urban informality, housing, and spatial justice. She will lead a high-level session on Day 2 focused on “Designing Better Cities and Homes in Nigeria.”
The five-day exhibition will bring together architects, designers, urban planners, and entrepreneurs for robust conversations, knowledge sharing, and business networking. Its knowledge exchange sessions will 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 Forward-looking conversations on the intersection of design, technology, wellness, and sustainability with Malik Afegbua, Remi Dada, Adewunmi Adegbola, and Omon Anenih, while Omoboye Odu, Head of SMEs at Ecobank Nigeria, said the line-up reflects the bank’s vision of connecting ideas with impact.
“These sessions will deliver practical insights and fresh perspectives that can shape the future of design, construction, and architecture across Africa,” Odu noted.
The exhibition also underscores Ecobank’s broader commitment to supporting entrepreneurs, promoting financial inclusion, and linking local businesses to global opportunities.
The bank has invested significantly in creative and SME-focused initiatives such as the Adire Lagos Experience, +234 Art Fair, Ecobank National Schools Team Chess Championship, and Oja Oge 2025, complemented by training and empowerment programmes for small businesses nationwide.