General
Nigeria’s Tallest Building: What You May Not Know About NECOM House
When the building was completed in 1979, it took over from the Cocoa House as the tallest building in Nigeria. This ended Cocoa House’s 14 years reign as the tallest building in Nigeria.
Interestingly, NECOM House is 5 times taller than the Cocoa House. However, it only has 6 more floors than the Cocoa House. The Cocoa House has 26 floors while the NECOM House has 32 floors.
Also, at the time of its completion in 1979, the building became the tallest in West Africa.
Today, NECOM House is the seventh tallest building in Africa and the 4435th Tallest in the World.
Design & Construction
A Ghanaian architectural company, Nickson Borys, and Partners designed the NECOM House while it was built by the British company, Costain Group.
The building was erected to house the Nigerian External Communication Agency’s headquarters. Nigeria Telecommunication Limited, on the other hand, bought it and turned it into their headquarters.
Outbreak of a Fire
NECOM House has suffered two fire incidences since its construction: one in 1983 (4 years after it was commissioned). The structure was severely damaged as a result of this. The second fire, which affected the top of the structure, occurred on the 8th of December, 2015.
Controversy
In 2011, NECOM Building was sold to West African Aluminum Products PLC for a scandalously low N4 billion, according to the media. Chief Alani Bankole, the father of former Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, owns the corporation. The transaction triggered sundry protests from both NITEL management and workers. That same year, a three-man committee that investigated the sale of the 37-storey NECOM House to West African Aluminum Products Plc, recommended the revocation of the transaction.
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