Lekki Conservation Centre
📍 loisirs · eti-osa
An iconic protected green space for wildlife viewing and canopy walkway hikes.
A Reserve Created to Protect a Threatened Ecosystem
The Lekki Conservation Centre was established by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) to protect one of the last remnants of swamp forest and mangrove that historically covered much of the Lagos coastline, now largely urbanized by Lekki's residential and commercial expansion. The reserve's 78 hectares are home to mona monkeys, monitor lizards, numerous bird species, and rich freshwater marsh vegetation, offering a glimpse of what the Lagos coast looked like before the intensive urbanization of recent decades.
The Canopy Walkway, an Iconic Attraction
The suspended Canopy Walkway, several hundred meters long and rising about fifteen meters above the forest floor, has become one of Lagos's most photographed attractions and a rite of passage for many visitors and diaspora tourists. Its construction served a dual purpose: giving visitors an immersive experience within the canopy without disturbing the ecosystem below, and raising awareness among Lagos's urban public about local biodiversity conservation, at a time when Lekki's urban expansion continues to encroach on the surrounding natural areas.
A Reserve Founded in 1990
The Lekki Conservation Centre was established in 1990 by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, making it one of the earliest structured initiatives to protect coastal biodiversity in Lagos State. The current suspended walkway, opened in 2015 under the supervision of a Nigerian team and two Canadian engineers, stretches 401 meters long and 61 meters wide, reaching a peak height of 22.5 meters above the ground, making it the longest canopy walkway in Africa and the second longest in the world.
One of Nigeria's Most Visited Attractions
This continental record has helped make the center one of the country's most visited tourist attractions, drawing nature lovers and thrill-seekers each year to enjoy the 360-degree views from the canopy. This reputation, built over nearly thirty-five years, allows the Lekki Conservation Centre to keep fulfilling its dual mission of ecological preservation and urban public awareness, while generating income essential to maintaining the reserve amid growing real estate pressure from Lekki's development.
Contact Information
- Address: KM 19 Lekki - Epe Expressway, Lekki, Lagos
- Phone: +234 812 755 6291
- Official Website: https://ncfnigeria.org