Oriarehu Bonny and Esther Oluku
Wellington College International has officially launched its first African school at Alaro City, Lagos, marking an expansion of world-class British education into Africa.
Scheduled to open to students in September 2027, Wellington College International Lagos is a co-educational boarding and day school catering for up to 1,500 students aged three to 18, and delivering the English National Curriculum from Key Stage 1 through to A-Levels.
The college, developed by Rendeavour, Africa’s new city builder, is designed by award-winning British architectural practice MICA Architects, with purpose-built facilities that support excellence across academics, sport, music, the arts and pastoral care, while positioning the school at the forefront of innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.
Speaking at an official launch ceremony in Lagos yesterday, the Managing Director of Wellington College International, Paresh Thakrar, explained that Wellington College’s long-standing reputation as the UK’s leading co-educational day and boarding school, combined with Rendeavour’s unparalleled experience in building Africa’s most ambitious new cities, creates a powerful foundation for excellence.
“Wellington College International Lagos sets a new benchmark for education on the continent, drawing on the strength of our global family of schools to deliver a transformative 21st-century education that equips young people to thrive and to help serve and shape a better world,” Thakrar said.
Meanwhile, the Founder and CEO of Rendeavour, Stephen Jennings, noted that Africa’s greatest opportunity lies in the potential of its people, and that education is the foundation on which long-term development is built. Through Rendeavour’s partnership with Wellington College International Lagos, he stated that Wellington is not just building infrastructure, but unlocking human potential.
Facilities at the college include a 12.5-hectare campus, a 50-metre Olympic-size swimming pool, a market-leading performing arts theatre, a fully equipped medical centre, integrated STEM laboratories, an indoor sports complex, multi-purpose outdoor sports courts, a 400-metre track and field pitch, and a standard-size rugby pitch.
Wellington College International Lagos will become the first Wellington College Education in Africa and the eleventh globally, joining a network spanning the UK, China, Thailand, Indonesia and India.
Collectively, Wellington schools educate over 10,000 students worldwide and are recognised for outstanding academic outcomes and university placements, including to Oxford, Cambridge and Ivy League institutions.
The official launch signals the beginning of a long-term educational legacy in Nigeria, designed to serve families, strengthen communities and help shape a new generation prepared to lead in an increasingly complex world.
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