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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Announcement of the Benin City Nigeria Temple
President Russell M. Nelson, 17th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced the Benin City Nigeria Temple on April 5, 2020, during the Sunday afternoon session of April 2020 general conference. A third temple for this West African nation was one of eight announced worldwide at the conference.Learning of a sacred edifice for the southern municipality known as Benin City came 15 years after Nigeria’s first temple in Aba was dedicated by then-Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. Rereading the dedicatory prayer’s words uttered by President Hinckley on Aug. 7, 2005, would likely give Nigerian members strength — and reasons to rejoice:
“In the spread of Thy work over the earth, we have in this good land and in other nations of Africa, strong stakes of Zion with disciples of great faith, obedient to Thee, and with a desire to carry eternal truth to many more. Bless this nation that it may rise in strength and freedom among the nations of Africa. Bless its leaders that they may look with favor upon Thy Saints and safeguard their rights, property and privileges.”
Timeline of the Benin City Nigeria Temple
April
05
2020
Announced
Church President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple for Benin City, Nigeria, on April 5, 2020, during April 2020 general conference. It was one of eight temples announced at the conference — and the third for this nation in West Africa.
The Benin City Nigeria Temple was announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson on April 5, 2020. A site location was announced by the Church on Sept. 11, 2023, for a house of the Lord on Commercial Avenue in Benin City. Details about the temple’s groundbreaking have not yet been released.
Architecture and Design of the Benin City Nigeria Temple
According to site plans released by the Church on Sept. 11, 2023, the Benin City Nigeria Temple will be a two-story building of approximately 30,700 square feet. The edifice will stand on a 2.17-acre site in Benin City, in Edo State in central-southern Nigeria. Construction plans include an arrival center and patron housing.Quick Facts
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This will be the third Latter-day Saint temple in Nigeria — and the 10th for the African continent.
Fact #2
When this house of the Lord was announced, Nigeria had approximately 177,000 Latter-day Saints among 54 stakes.
Fact #3
The closest temple to Benin City is currently the Aba Nigeria Temple, a distance of approximately 145 miles away to the southeast.
Fact #4
The other nine temples on the continent of Africa in operation, under construction or in planning stages at the time of the announcement of a house of the Lord for Benin City were located in Aba, Nigeria; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Durban, South Africa; Harare, Zimbabwe; Johannesburg, South Africa; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lagos, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya.
Fact #5
The site announcement for the Benin City Nigeria Temple on Sept. 11, 2023, came nearly a year after the announcement during the October 2022 general conference of a sacred edifice for Eket, Nigeria. With an operating temple in Aba and three houses of the Lord for Lagos, Benin City and Eket in the planning stages, that made Nigeria’s four temples — at the time of the Benin City temple's announcement — the most planned for any country in Africa.
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This will be the third Latter-day Saint temple in Nigeria — and the 10th for the African continent.
Fact #2
When this house of the Lord was announced, Nigeria had approximately 177,000 Latter-day Saints among 54 stakes.
Fact #3
The closest temple to Benin City is currently the Aba Nigeria Temple, a distance of approximately 145 miles away to the southeast.
Fact #4
The other nine temples on the continent of Africa in operation, under construction or in planning stages at the time of the announcement of a house of the Lord for Benin City were located in Aba, Nigeria; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Durban, South Africa; Harare, Zimbabwe; Johannesburg, South Africa; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lagos, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya.
Fact #5
The site announcement for the Benin City Nigeria Temple on Sept. 11, 2023, came nearly a year after the announcement during the October 2022 general conference of a sacred edifice for Eket, Nigeria. With an operating temple in Aba and three houses of the Lord for Lagos, Benin City and Eket in the planning stages, that made Nigeria’s four temples — at the time of the Benin City temple's announcement — the most planned for any country in Africa.