Wellington College International Lagos was officially launched at a ceremony held at the Metropolitan Club, marking a major milestone in the expansion of world-class British education into Africa.
The launch brought together senior leaders from Wellington College Education and Rendeavour, alongside distinguished guests from government, business, and the diplomatic community.
Scheduled to open to students in September 2027, Wellington College International Lagos is a co-educational boarding and day school educating up to 1,500 students aged 3 to 18, delivering the English National Curriculum from Key Stage 1 through to A-Levels.
The school combines Wellington College’s distinguished academic heritage with Nigerian and regional educational strengths, offering a holistic education that develops intellect, character, and leadership.
Wellington College International Lagos is located in Alaro City, the flagship new city in Lagos developed by Rendeavour, Africa’s new city builder.
The school 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.
The 12.5hectare campus is the first private school in Lagos with a 50-metre Olympic-size swimming pool.
Other facilities include a market-leading performing arts theatre, a fully equipped medical centre, integrated STEM laboratories, an indoor sports complex, multi-purpose outdoor sport courts, a 400metre athletics field and a standard-size rugby pitch.
“Wellington College’s long-standing reputation as the UK’s leading coeducational day and boarding school, combined with Rendeavour’s unparalleled experience in building Africa’s most ambitious new cities, creates a powerful foundation for excellence,” said managing director of Wellington College International, Paresh Thakrar.
“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 serve and help shape a better world,” added Thakrar.
“Africa’s greatest opportunity lies in the potential of its people, and education is the foundation on which long-term development is built. At Rendeavour, we have always believed that new cities must be designed to unlock human potential, not just to house infrastructure,” said VEO of Rendeavour, Stephen Jennings.
“Wellington College International Lagos represents a significant investment in Africa’s future — delivering world-class education within an African context and helping to prepare the next generation of leaders who drive growth, innovation, and prosperity across the continent,” remarked Jennings.
“Alaro City was conceived as more than a development project; it is a long-term commitment to the future of Lagos and Nigeria, with education playing a central role in shaping that future. The establishment of Wellington College International Lagos is a manifestation of the underlying vision that drives us,” stated managing director of Alaro City, Yomi Ademola.
“As we embed globally competitive institutions within the city from the outset, this partnership signals confidence in Nigeria’s trajectory and demonstrates how deliberate, well-planned city-building can translate vision into enduring outcomes, developing talent, expanding opportunity, and supporting sustainable growth for generations to come,” added Ademola.
The launch of Wellington College International Lagos positions Alaro City’s as a fully integrated urban ecosystem, bringing together education, industry, living, and recreation within a single, infrastructure-ready city.
Planned across 2,000 hectares within the Lekki Free Zone, Alaro City comprises residential communities, commercial and industrial districts, schools, healthcare facilities, hospitality offerings, and over 150 hectares of green and recreational spaces.
Wellington College International Lagos becomes the first Wellington College Education school 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, one designed to serve families, strengthen communities, and help shape a new generation prepared to lead in an increasingly complex world.
