Mission guide
Nigeria Lagos Mission
Lagos is a historic coastal city and the main city of the Nigeria Lagos Mission.
- English
- Igbo
Nigeria Lagos Mission shirts
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Nigeria Lagos Mission T-Shirt
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Nigeria Lagos Mission Heart Map Shirt
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Nigeria Lagos Mission Flag Map Shirt
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Choose size & color →I Glory in My Jesus, in the language of this mission
2 Nephi 33:6 as it reads in the Book of Mormon for each language spoken here.
Weak Things Become Strong, in the language of this mission
"I make weak things become strong" (Ether 12:27) as it reads in the Book of Mormon for each language spoken here.
About the mission
English and Igbo are spoken in the mission. Missionaries and families may also hear Yoruba in Lagos, where the Awori people, a subgroup of the Yoruba, have deep roots.
At a glance
- Country
- Nigeria
- Main city
- Lagos, 17,803,700 metropolitan residents (2025 estimate)
- Time zone
- West Africa Time (UTC+1)
- Climate
- Tropical savanna, with a wet season from May to October and a dry season from November to April
- Church in Nigeria
- 250,341 members, 77 stakes, 840 congregations
- FamilySearch Centers
- 147
A short history of the area
Lagos played a part in major moments in Nigerian history. Tinubu Square hosted the 1914 Amalgamation Ceremony, and Tafawa Balewa Square was the site of the 1960 independence proclamation. Lagos stopped being Nigeria’s national capital in 1991, when the federal capital moved to Abuja.
The Church here
- Early 1960sChurch leaders attempted to establish a mission in Nigeria, but missionary visas could not be obtained and priesthood restrictions prevented the plan from moving forward.
- 1978Following President Spencer W. Kimball’s revelation extending priesthood ordination and temple blessings to worthy Church members of African descent, the Church was established in Nigeria.
- January 1979Mabey and Cannon organized the Cross River State District in Calabar, the first district in Nigeria, with Ime O. Eduok as president.
- 1980The Africa West Mission, serving Nigeria and Ghana, was organized with headquarters in Lagos.
- August 5, 1982The Nigerian government officially recognized the Church.
- 1985The Africa West Mission was renamed the Nigeria Lagos Mission.
- 2005The Aba Temple was dedicated.
- 2007The Nigeria Ibadan Mission was relocated to Lagos and renamed the Nigeria Lagos East Mission.
- 2009The Nigeria Lagos East Mission was consolidated with the original Nigeria Lagos Mission.
Temples nearby
Lagos Nigeria Temple
Under construction · Near Lagos
Accra Ghana Temple
Dedicated January 11, 2004 · About 255 miles from Lagos
The Book of Mormon here
Missionaries in this mission share the Book of Mormon in these languages. Tap a cover to read it free.
Cover art is an illustration. Links open the free edition on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Before you go
Phrases to learn
- NdewoHello
- Kedu?How are you?
- DaalụThank you
- BikoPlease
Foods to try
- Eba and egusi (cassava dough served with a thick melon-seed soup)
- Amala and ewedu (yam or cassava flour meal served with jute-leaf soup)
- Jollof (seasoned rice cooked with tomatoes and peppers)
- Suya (spiced grilled meat)
Fun facts
- Lagos handles 88% of Nigeria’s exports.
- Paul McCartney recorded the Wings album Band on the Run in an EMI studio in Lagos in August and September 1973.
- The NECOM House communications mast also serves as a lighthouse beacon for the Port of Lagos.
Just got the call?
Turn the opening into a game: family and friends guess where the missionary is going before the reveal.