President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to inaugurate the newly renovated National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, as part of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day celebrations. The theatre, now upgraded to world-class standards, has been renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in honor of Nigeria’s Nobel laureate.
The renovation, a collaboration between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Bankers’ Committee, and the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, includes modern stage engineering, state-of-the-art audio-visual systems, refurbished interiors, improved fire safety, new lifts, upgraded utilities, and solar power integration. The upgrades aim to position the theatre as a hub for cultural, artistic, and creative expression in Nigeria.
The inauguration will host governors, national legislators, diplomats, industry leaders, cultural ambassadors, academics, and youth representatives. Key speeches and performances are expected from CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso, Minister of Arts and Culture Hannatu Musawa, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Prof. Wole Soyinka, among others.
The commissioning of the theatre marks a major milestone in President Tinubu’s vision to celebrate Nigerian culture and the creative economy while providing a state-of-the-art venue for artists, performers, and cultural events nationwide.
