Jaekel House, Lagos

Located inside the Ebute-Metta premises of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Jaekel House is a restored colonial mansion.
It now serves as a railway museum and photo gallery of the NRC’s colonial era. Smack dab in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Lagos, it can be quite a surprise to go into the premises and suddenly become far removed from the noise and people – such is the sheer size of the grounds. Named after Francis Jaekel, a former Superintendent of the NRC, it was originally built in 1898. This makes it 119 years old and therefore is certainly one of the oldest buildings in Nigeria still standing! Its age does not show on it though, due to the recent restoration carried out on it.
Fancy a visit to this beautiful building to take a rail journey into Nigeria’s past? It is located at the Railway Compound, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, and it is open throughout the week.

The first European storey building in Nigeria

Yes, that one. This famous white one-storey building in Badagry was constructed by the Rev. Henry Townsend of the Anglican Church Mission Society (CMS) in 1845. Located on the Badagry Marina, this historic structure served as a Vicarage for Saint Thomas Anglican Church, Badagry. Later on, the Anglican Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther famously lived here while translating the Bible from English to Yoruba.
Still standing completely intact after 171 years, this building has huge historical significance in the history of the slave trade and colonialism. It is also very close to the excellent recreational amenities of Badagry.
These include several water resorts, hotels, beaches and hangout spots. If you are brave enough, you can evenventure into the house, which generates hundreds of ghost stories from tourists and visitors every year.#NigerianHistory.

Mapo Hall, Ibadan
It may not look like it, but this too, is one of the oldest buildings in Nigeria. Built in 1929, Mapo Hall has witnessed 87 years of Nigerian history from its vantage point at Mapo Hill summit, the highest point in the city of Ibadan. Designed by the British EngineerRobert Taffy Jones, this sprawling edifice is one of the most impressive structures in Ibadan, towering over the metropolis with its huge stone pillars and Victorian architecture.Mapo Hall was originally constructed for administrative purposes and public hearings. Nowadays, especially since its renovation in 2006, it is as a conference location and tourist destination, with its own in-house mini museum and an impressive hallway portrait display of all past and present Olubadan of Ibadan.#NigerianHistory.

St. George’s Hall, Lagos
This charming building located on Broad Street was constructed in1907. It houses St. George’s Lodge No. 3065 of the global Freemason Order. Prior to its construction, Sir Walter Egerton, then Governor of the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria granted a 99-year lease for the plot of land, free from taxes and rates.
Over the years, some of the most famous names in Nigeria’s history have been frequent visitors to this building. These include Sir Adeyemo Alakija, Nat Sowande Cole, Chief Oludare Holloway and Willoughby Osbourne. The building features typically elaborateand ornate Victorian design and finishing.If you would like to take atour of this historic building, it is open on Sundays between 11:00 and 17:00.

Kajuru Castle, Kaduna
While the other buildings on this list are very old, Kajuru Castle is not since It was built by an unnamed German expatriate in 1978 and is only 39 years old. Yet It makes this list by virtue of its unusual German-style architecture and back story because it’s not everyday you see a full-sized German castle in Kaduna! If you would like to explore Kajuru Castle, you have to rent out the entire building. This reportedly costs between N240,000 and N350,000 a day.

Kings College, LagosKings College was built in 1909 by the British colonial administration in Lagos. It was built at the cost of £10,001 and is one of the oldest buildings in Nigeria. The building was originally created due to the need to prepare male students for the Matriculation exams of the University of London. Today, almost 120 years later, Kings college still stands at its original location on Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island.