Sunday Ehigiator
The United States Government has celebrated the structural completion of its new consulate compound in Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, with a topping off ceremony marking the completion of the highest structural point of the 10-storey chancery building.
The ceremony, held in Lagos was attended by the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for West Africa and Public Diplomacy, Richard Michaels; U.S. Consul General, Brandon Hudspeth; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; senior Nigerian government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders, representatives of U.S. companies and Nigerian alumni of U.S. government exchange programmes.
The milestone was marked by the ceremonial pouring of the final bucket of structural concrete onto the roof of the Chancery, bringing to an end four years of work on the main structure of the new diplomatic facility.
Speaking at the ceremony, Michaels said the project represented the importance the U.S. attached to its relationship with Nigeria, describing the new compound as a symbol of the two countries’ partnership.
“This new consulate compound reflects cutting-edge construction and engineering techniques, built to the highest U.S. standards for design and construction, and standing as a lasting symbol of what our two nations can achieve together,” Michaels said.
He added that the project was also an indication of the U.S. commitment to Nigeria’s economic future, particularly Lagos, which he described as a major economic centre capable of driving shared prosperity.
“This new compound demonstrates that America is investing in the future. And with commerce at the heart of our priorities, no place in Africa is better positioned than Nigeria, with Lagos as its economic hub, to drive shared prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic,” he said.
The project, according to the U.S. Consulate will contribute more than $95 million to the local economy through employees, subcontractors and suppliers across Lagos State and Nigeria.
It said it has also provided training for more than 1,500 Nigerian workers to international construction standards, while 120 Nigerian engineers, architects and administrators are currently working on the project alongside 43 American construction professionals.
Hudspeth said the project was more than the construction of a diplomatic facility, stressing that it represented an investment in the future of relations between the two countries.
“That is what we are building here at Eko Atlantic City. Not just a building, but the foundation for the next chapter of our partnership,” he said.
The topping off ceremony, a longstanding construction tradition, signifies the completion of a building’s core structural framework. The milestone brings the new U.S. diplomatic facility closer to completion and eventual opening.
Built on a 12.2-acre, or 4.94-hectare site in the rapidly developing Eko Atlantic City, the new compound will comprise the 10-storey Chancery, multipurpose rooms for public events and a new American Center.
The American centre will serve as a programming venue for showcasing American culture and facilitating engagement between the U.S. and Nigeria.
The new consulate compound was designed by Ennead Architects, a New York-based architecture firm, while construction is being carried out by Pernix International, an Illinois-based company.