Recently, Papa Omotayo, Nigerian architect and cultural visionary, featured in CNN’s Next Gen Cities segment on Inside Africa. In the episode, Omotayo shared his insights on how design and culture are intertwined to create better, more inclusive built environments across Africa, with a particular focus on his home city of Lagos.
During the interview, Papa highlighted the rapid growth of Lagos and the complex ecosystem it presents, requiring thoughtful urban planning and design. “Lagos will be the biggest city population-wise in the next 10 to 20 years,” he said. “For us, it is important to create equitable spaces that are sustainable.” His practice has dedicated itself to addressing these challenges by reimagining civic, cultural, and creative spaces for the new generation of makers in Nigeria.
One of the projects discussed was the Q-Dance Center, Lagos’s first contemporary dance center. Papa explained, “It is more than a dance center; it is a community that shows how dance can empower us and give us new voices.
Papa’s and his team are also driving several projects with the MOWAA Institute in Benin City; redefining what it means to be a West African museum, transforming colonial-era buildings into creative spaces. And other projects, including the Ngambi Nature Retreat in Uganda and the Ijebu Workshop in Ijebu, that reflect Papa’s commitment to sustainable, community-focused design.
Papa Omotayo’s practice, founded in 2014, operates across the African continent, though its roots remain firmly in Lagos. His work is socially impactful and collaborative, working with architects, artists, ecologists, and cultural programmers to create environments that enhance the human experience.
To learn more about how design, culture, and architecture are shaping Africa’s cities of the future, watch the full Next Gen Cities episode featuring Papa Omotayo on CNN Inside Africa.
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