Federal Palace Hotel | |
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General information | |
Location | Victoria Island, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria |
Coordinates | 6°25′53″N3°24′25″E / 6.431413°N 3.407049°E |
Opening | 1960 |
Owner | Ibru family, Sun International |
Other information | |
Number of rooms | 150 |
Website | |
www |
The Federal Palace Hotel is a luxury hotel and casino in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. [1] The hotel is notable for having been the setting for the signing of Nigeria's Declaration of Independence.
Established in 1960 to provide accommodation for dignitaries visiting Nigeria as part of the independence process, it was constructed and originally owned by the A. G. Leventis Group. [2] The hotel was acquired by the Nigerian government in 1964 and went through a series of managers in the following years, falling into disrepair and partially recovering. [2] In 1992, the government sold the hotel to the Ibru family (via Ikeja hotel Plc) for $50M, outbidding the Daewoo corporation of South Korea. [3] In 2007, South Africa hospitality and gaming company Sun International purchased a 49% stake in the hotel, and became the hotel's operator. [4] In 2019, Sun announced that it planned to sell its stake in the hotel due to disputes within the Ibru family over hotel leadership. [5] In 2024, Sun sold 43% of its stake to an entity associated with the family of Alex Ibru. [6]
When Nigeria gained its independence from Britain in 1960, it was in the main boardroom of the newly constructed Federal Palace Hotel that Nigeria's independence declaration was signed. [7] This boardroom is now one of the main features of the hotel's casino. The official celebration of Nigeria's independence took place in the hotel's Independence Hall, which, also in 1977, hosted the summit of heads of state of the Organization of African Unity and the Festival of African Arts and Culture (FESTAC). [8]
Abuja is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated in the middle of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Planning Associates (IPA), a consortium of three American planning and architecture firms made up of Wallace, Roberts, McHarg & Todd as the lead, Archi systems International, and Planning Research Corporation. The Central Business District of Abuja was designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. It replaced Lagos, the country's most populous city, as the capital on 12 December 1991.
Lagos or Lagos City is the most populous city in Nigeria, with an estimated population of 21 million in 2015. Lagos is the most populous urban area in Africa. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 following the government's decision to move their capital to Abuja in the centre of the country. Lagos is a major African financial centre and is the economic hub of Lagos State and Nigeria at large. The city has a significant influence on commerce, entertainment, technology, education, politics, tourism, art, and fashion in Africa. Lagos is also among the top ten of the world's fastest-growing cities and urban areas. The megacity has the fourth-highest GDP in Africa and houses one of the largest and busiest seaports on the continent. Due to the large urban population and port traffic volumes, Lagos is classified as a Medium-Port Megacity.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is the air branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the youngest branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is one of the largest in Africa, consisting of over 18,000 personnel as at 2021 and aircraft including 9 Chengdu F-7s, 11Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jets, three JF-17 Thunder Block II and 12 Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano aircraft, 24 Ameracchi M-346 FAs on order, attack helicopters, armed attack drones, and military transport aircraft.
Delta State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named after the Niger Delta—a large part of which is in the state—the state was formed from the former Bendel State on August 27, 1991. Bordered on the north by Edo State, the east by Anambra and Rivers states, and that south by Bayelsa State while to the west is the Bight of Benin which covers about 160 kilometres of the state's coastline. The state was initially created with 12 local government areas in 1991 which was later extended to 19 and now has 25 local government areas. Asaba as its state capital located along the River Niger on the northeastern end of the state, while the state's economic center is Warri on the southwestern coastline.
Victoria Island (VI) is an affluent area that encompasses a former island of the same name neighbouring Lagos Island, Ikoyi and the Lekki Peninsula by the Lagos Lagoon. It is the main business and financial centre of Lagos State, Nigeria. Victoria Island is one of the most exclusive and expensive areas to reside in Lagos. The town and island lie within the boundaries of the Eti-Osa Local Government Area (LGA).
Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited, known as Aero Contractors or simply Aero, is a state-controlled Nigerian airline company based at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. Furthermore, it operates helicopter services and fixed wing domestic and international scheduled passenger services, air charter and third party aircraft operations, largely in support of Nigeria's extensive oil and gas industry.
Michael Onajirevbe Ibru was a Nigerian industrialist, founder of the Ibru Organization and patriarch of the Ibru family.
Southern Sun is a South African multinational hospitality company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The group was founded in 1969 by hotelier Sol Kerzner and South African Breweries. Between 2012 and April 2022 the group was known as Tsogo Sun. Southern Sun owns and operates over 90 hotels in South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Seychelles, and the Middle East. In addition to hotels, the group operates conferencing venues including Sandton Convention Centre in Sandton, food and beverage outlets, and spas.
Tourism in Nigeria centers largely on events, due to the country's ample amount of ethnic groups, but also includes rain forests, savannah, waterfalls, and other natural attractions. Tourists spent US$2.6 billion in Nigeria in 2015. This dropped to US$1.5 billion in 2017.
Oceanic Bank International, commonly referred to as Oceanic Bank, was a bank in Nigeria that provided individual, commercial and corporate banking services.
Joseph Palmer II was an American diplomat and State Department official whose career focused on U.S. relations with Africa.
Felix Ovudoroye Ibru was a Nigerian businessman, architect and politician. He was the first democratically elected Governor of Delta State and Senator for Delta Central Senatorial District. Until his death he held the position of President General of the Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU). As a traditional chieftain of his homeland, Ibru bore the tribal honorific Olorogun and often used it as a pre-nominal style. This title is also borne by the members of his large family in the same way.
LagosPhoto Festival is the largest international photography festival in Nigeria and attracts over 20.000 visitors annually. Founded in 2010 by Azu Nwagbogu of the African Artists Foundation, the festival spotlights emerging and established photographers from Africa and internationally. With a strong focus on presenting historical and contemporary stories from the African continent, the month-long festival takes place at various indoor and outdoor venues and includes exhibitions, events, workshops, residencies, talks and digital programs. Some of the photographers and artists who have taken part are Viviane Sassen, Samuel Fosso, Hassan Hajjaj, Maimouna Guerresi, and Zanele Muholi.
FMA Architects Ltd is an international architecture, planning and interior design firm headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.
Caesars Entertainment, Inc., formerly Eldorado Resorts, Inc., is an American hotel and casino entertainment company founded and based in Reno, Nevada that operates more than 50 properties. Eldorado Resorts acquired Caesars Entertainment Corporation and changed its own name to Caesars Entertainment on July 20, 2020.
The fashion industry in Nigeria plays an important cultural role and contributes significantly to the country's economy. Clothing incorporates a variety of colours, fabrics, and embellishments. Many of the component cultures of Nigeria wear styles that are characteristic of their tribal society and customs. Nigeria produces fashionable textiles and finished garments and has designers who have achieved international recognition.
Goodie Minabo Ibru is a Nigerian businessman, hotelier and former president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Oskar Eyovbirere Ibru is a Nigerian billionaire businessman and investor who currently serves as the chairman and CEO of the Ibru Organization.
The Ibru family is a Nigerian business dynasty from Agbara-Otor, Delta State that rose to prominence with Michael Ibru, who founded the Ibru Organization.