Dr Amos Atumye Alao

History has been made at the University of Lagos, UNILAG. With the inauguration of the Faculty of Architecture, the first of its kind in Nigeria, and the creation of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, the country has crossed into a new chapter of design education. This is not just an academic milestone. It is the long awaited moment when a discipline that had been shut out of the university system finally takes its rightful place.

For decades, Nigeria lived with this gap. Our cities expanded without adequate planning. Floods returned each rainy season, forests were cleared, and farmland gave way to concrete. Yet the knowledge that could address these challenges was kept at the margins. From its founding, the Society of Landscape Architects of Nigeria (SLAN) carried the vision that one day the discipline would be recognized. Its founders believed Nigeria could not build resilient cities without it. That dream is now alive at the University of Lagos.

This new faculty reaches beyond architecture in the traditional sense. By also recognizing Interior Architecture, Design, and Urban Design, it offers a new framework for the construction industry. These programs will equip professionals who will change the way Nigeria thinks about homes, public spaces, and cities.

The need could not be clearer. Concrete alone cannot manage the challenges of climate change or stop urban sprawl from consuming farmland. We need professionals who can connect nature, people, and infrastructure in ways that make our communities stronger. Landscape architects, urban designers, and interior architects are trained for this work. They bring knowledge that speaks not only to beauty but to survival and sustainability.

SLAN will continue to support the new department and ensure its curriculum remains aligned with global standards. Efforts will also be made to secure international recognition through the International Federation of Landscape Architects. This way, Nigeria will not only join global conversations but will contribute models that reflect our culture, climate, and lived realities.

The National Universities Commission deserves appreciation for its role in curriculum reform and in opening the space for professional education to grow. This achievement bears their imprint. The leadership of ARCON also deserves recognition for its efforts at ensuring that SLAN co-exists seamlessly within the built environment ecosystem, strengthening professional collaboration rather than competition.

What the University of Lagos has done is more than academic progress. It is a national strategy for resilience, sustainability, and growth. With this bold step, Nigeria has laid a foundation for stronger cities and for a future that will outlast our generation.

*Dr Amos Atumye Alao is President of the Society of Landscape Architects of Nigeria and serves as the Secretary-General of IFLA Africa. In the tradition of SLAN’s founders and past leaders, he has carried forward the advocacy to secure a place for Landscape Architecture in Nigerian universities, with his work remaining focused on positioning the discipline as a tool for resilience and sustainable development.