Lekki Port has rewarded students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) with cash prizes after an art competition on the history and development of the deep seaport.
The Lekki Port art competition also looked at the port’s relationship with its host communities.
It was held at the port’s facility in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, on November 5, 2026.
There were 27 entries from students of UNILAG’s Department of Fine and Applied Arts. They included 16 paintings and 11 sculptures.
The winners in the painting and sculpture categories received N500,000 each. The first and second runners-up got N300,000 and N150,000 respectively.
In sculpture, Hands of Nations, by Joseph Udoh, Tope Ebini and Israel Morenikeji, won.
49 Approvals by Gabriel Pedepo came second. Behind the Scene by Ifeoluwa Odushe and Nose Mask by James Afolabi shared third place.
In painting, Eunice Kolawole won, followed by Samuel Idowu Ogundipe. Favour Sinmiloluwa Akande and Bonuedi Emmanuella Dzifa shared third place.
The Managing Director of Lekki Port, Wang Qiang, praised the students for their creativity and for telling the port’s story through art.
He said the port’s growth has come from teamwork among government agencies, host communities and other stakeholders. He urged them to keep working together.
Qiang also thanked UNILAG and its lecturers for their role in the initiative, and described the works as impressive.
The Head of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Prof. John Adenle, said the exhibition gave students a chance to apply what they have learnt and show their talents beyond the classroom.
He said the artworks recorded the history of the host community, captured its transformation and offered views on its future.
Kolawole said her painting, which shows a ship coming out of an eggshell, stands for the port’s humble beginnings and its growth into a major maritime hub.
Udoh said the winning sculpture shows hands from different races and parts of the world joining to form the Lekki Port logo. According to him, it symbolises the teamwork behind the port’s development.
The exhibition drew representatives of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police, Department of State Services, Lagos Free Zone and Lekki Freeport Terminal, among other agencies.
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