The Management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday, August 17, 2026, received international delegates participating in the 2026 Southern Urbanism Conference (Southern Urbanism Co-Net 2026), ahead of the commencement of the Students’ Workshop and Exhibition.
The delegation, comprising international resource persons, students, and other participants, paid a courtesy visit to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG. They were received by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Professor Foluso Afolabi Lesi, at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room.
The visit formally set the stage for the Students’ Workshop and Exhibition, scheduled to run from Monday, August 17 to Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre (AMDRC), UNILAG. The main conference is slated for Monday, August 24 and Tuesday, August 25, 2026, also at AMDRC.
Jointly hosted by the Departments of Interior Architecture & Design and Urban & Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture, the conference will bring together students, scholars, and urbanism practitioners from different parts of the world to engage with the realities and future of Lagos.
Speaking during the courtesy visit, Dr. Min Tang, Research Professor, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, China, and Professor Christian Pedelahore de Loddis, Director, Architecture Milieu Paysage, ENSA Paris La Villette, France, expressed their delight at being in Nigeria, and particularly at UNILAG, for the conference.
According to the Conference Chair, Dr. Mokolade Johnson, Southern Urbanism Co-Net 2026 will feature participants from Japan, France, Tanzania, Turkey, India, and China, alongside students and scholars from the University of Lagos.
He explained that the conference, themed “Mapping Lagos’ Urban Lives: Remembering, (Re)Making and (Re)Imagining the City,” will provide a platform for participants to examine Lagos through diverse academic, cultural, and professional perspectives.
Welcoming the delegates on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development Services), Professor Foluso Afolabi Lesi expressed confidence that the international gathering would generate meaningful conversations and innovative ideas for addressing urban challenges in Lagos.
He described Lagos as Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, noting that its rapidly evolving urban landscape presents complex challenges that require fresh thinking, collaboration, and context-sensitive solutions.
Professor Lesi encouraged the delegates to take advantage of their stay in Lagos to engage closely with the city, observe its realities, and offer suggestions on contemporary urban and environmental issues.
He expressed optimism that the exchange of ideas among international delegates, students, and scholars would enrich the conference and contribute to broader conversations on building more responsive and sustainable cities, particularly in the Global South.
The Students’ Workshop and Exhibition, which precedes the main conference, is expected to provide an interactive platform for participants to share ideas, engage in practical learning, and explore the diverse dimensions of Lagos’ urban life.
Report: Gbenga Gbelee
Photograph: Ayo Oloyede
