NECOM House

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The former NITEL headquarters on the Marina of Lagos Island, a 32-storey concrete tower by Nickson Borys & Partners completed in 1979 and long West Africa's tallest building. A brick-clad cylindrical shaft rises in front of the slab to a lattice communications spire that doubles as a lighthouse beacon for Lagos Harbour.

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At a glance

Country: Nigeria
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Built: 1979
Height: 160 m
Type: Skyscraper

Quick answers

Where is NECOM House?

NECOM House is in Lagos, Nigeria.

When was NECOM House built?

NECOM House was built in 1979.

How tall is NECOM House?

NECOM House is about 160 m tall.

NECOM House is a 32-storey concrete skyscraper on the Marina in Lagos, Nigeria. It was finished in 1979 and housed the headquarters of NITEL, Nigeria's national telephone company. When it was completed it was the tallest building in West Africa.

A communications spire stands on top of the tower, and it also works as a lighthouse beacon to guide ships into Lagos Harbour. One listing gives the roof height, with the spire, as about 160 metres (525 feet). The building has gone by the names NET Building, NITEL Tower and now NECOM House.

Names and history

The tower was first built as the headquarters of Nigerian External Communications, known as NECOM, a company that NITEL later took over. That is why it has been called the NET Building, the NITEL Tower and NECOM House. Its job was to hold the offices that connected phone lines to the rest of the world.

Some sources count 32 floors and others 35, so the floor count is not certain.

A tower that helps ships

The spire on top is useful twice over. It carries communication equipment, and it serves as a beacon for Lagos Harbour, so ships can use it to find their way at the busy port.

Hard times

The tower has lived through two fires. A fire in 1983 caused considerable damage, and another fire in December 2015 affected the top of the building. News reports said the 2015 fire started on the 32nd floor and caused no loss of life, because the building's managers moved quickly to bring it under control.

Fun facts

It was long the tallest building in Nigeria.
It was the tallest building in West Africa when it opened in 1979.
The spire on top doubles as a harbor beacon.
The building has had two fires, in 1983 and 2015.
Its first owner was Nigerian External Communications, which NITEL later took over.