Our pioneering residents have made their homes within Azuri Towers and are relishing an unparalleled living experience characterized by luxury and comfort. The exceptional amenities available at our development, combined with the breathtaking views that surround it, create a truly distinctive and inviting atmosphere.

As we continue to cultivate this vibrant community, we remain committed to enhancing the living experience of our residents, ensuring that Azuri Towers stands as a beacon of modern living and a cherished place to call home.

Azuri Towers, situated in front of a picturesque marina, provided an ideal setting for an aquatic lifestyle, perfectly complementing the race’s vibrant atmosphere. The event was a celebration of sailing prowess and the rich maritime culture of Lagos, marking a significant milestone in the promotion of sailing sports within Nigeria. It attracted participants from various regions, reflecting the burgeoning enthusiasm for yachting in the state.

The Azuri Pursuit Race was conceived as a distinctive sailing competition that emphasized both skill and strategy. Competitors followed a meticulously charted course designed to challenge their seamanship and tactical abilities. The event culminated in a thrilling display of racing, with each yacht vying for supremacy while upholding the principles of fair play and camaraderie.

The participation of both local and international sailors underscored the race’s broad appeal and the yacht club’s dedication to fostering global connections within the maritime community. Beyond providing an exhilarating experience for competitors, the event served as a platform to raise awareness about sailing. The inaugural Azuri Pursuit Race has set a precedent for future competitions, promising to become a hallmark event in Nigeria’s sporting calendar.

As we reflect on this remarkable achievement, we eagerly anticipate the next Azuri Pursuit Race, which is expected to draw an even larger audience and a more diverse group of participants. The Lagos Yacht Club remains committed to nurturing sailing as a dynamic and exhilarating sport, promoting community spirit and maritime excellence in Lagos State.

With the sea breeze from the overlooking Atlantic Ocean, the atmosphere around the luxury apartments of Azuri Towers in the City was just right to test the 6.75-litre twin-turbo V-12 engine sitting under the Rolls-Royce Cullinan bonnet.

An exclusive franchisee of Rolls-Royce vehicles in Nigeria, and a subsidiary of Coscharis Motors Plc, Royce Motor Cars Lagos had invited select media partners to have a ‘feel’ of the white Cullinan on both the smooth and still-under-construction road network of the Eko Atlantic City.

One after the other, the elated guests took turns to get familiar with Cullinan produced at Goodwood in the United Kingdom – the house of Rolls-Royce – and named after the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered.

With so much power under the bonnet, it was no surprise that the car drove effortlessly over every surface, and particularly delivering what Rolls-Royce calls a ‘magic carpet ride’ on one rough stretch of the City’s road where construction was still on.

Remarkably, with the ‘magic carpet ride’ (which reminds one of a rock song of the same title by Steppenwolf), the noise and vibration that accompany other automobiles in similar situations, seemed very distant and were considerably filtered out in the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

While welcoming the team before setting out for the drive, Abiona Babarinde, the general manager, marketing and corporate communications, Coscharis Group, gave insight into the choice of Eko Atlantic City for the “Pinnacle Luxury” experience.

Babarinde remarked, “The choice of this location is to give you the smooth drive a Rolls-Royce Cullinan will deliver for you effortlessly on all the different road terrains you can imagine. Right here, you will enjoy the drive on a smooth road and sandy areas on the beach side that gives you both the on and off road capabilities of the Cullinan within an environment like what we have at this Eko Development City here in Lagos”.

Anchoring the “Ride and Drive” was Tolu Gbadamosi, the business manager, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Lagos, who showcased the unique selling propositions of the Cullinan by driving each of the guests through different routes / terrains. The journalists themselves also drove the vehicle thereafter.

In his presentation on what it is like to own the car fondly described as the ‘luxury of SUVs,’ the ownership services manager of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Lagos, Michael Onyewuchi, unwrapped an after-sales package targeted at giving the customer ‘peace of mind’ as an owner of the Cullinan.

Onyewuchi assured that aside the warranty that is guaranteed from the purchase of the Cullinan from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Lagos, an owner is certain that genuine parts would be fixed with the right tools by certified Rolls-Royce technicians based on the set global standards.

Like other Rolls-Royce cars, Cullinan flaunts classic design inside and outside, meticulous details and uncommon features like V-12 engine, rear-hinged doors and even a starlight headlamp that mimics the night sky.

The Eko Development Company’s development manager, Adedapo Macaulay, did not forget to give a little insight into the marvellous city’s concept, explaining that  Azuri Towers is  part of a long-term programme to create outstanding homes with luxurious living.

Scheduled to be opened in December, 2021,  Azuri Towers, Macaulay stated, is made up of three towers  –  two residential towers (Azuri One & Azuri Two), and one office towers (Azuri Offices).

Azuri Towers will consist of three towers: two residential and one for offices. To our delight, Azuri One is now the tallest residential tower in Nigeria. By extension, it is the tallest in West Africa and the second tallest on the continent. The location on the marina is a strategic advantage. The towers themselves are avant-garde. They are the top end of luxury at an international standard. Our new customers in the last months have expressed their pleasure at the unparalleled integrity and beauty of the towers. The structure is sound, and the civil engineering quality is outstanding. One unique aspect of the towers is that they sit on a floor of 13,500sqm of sheer concrete foundation. Everything coming out of the city flows from our location. The proximity to the marina also means one can practically park their yacht on their front doors. All of these factors mean the crème de la crème of society seek to position themselves here. There is only one other residential tower in Lagos that can match the size of our apartments as well. We offer 500-sqm apartments overlooking the wonderful marina here. The penthouse is 2,500sqm on three floors with a private swimming pool. We have taken luxury to the edge. Today, 30% of the project has been sold. We have a show apartment that will open in May. By then, we intend to sell 60%. We will open the project on December 12, 2021. We are fixed on this opening date, and nothing will change that.

How are you applying upcoming trends in real estate to the Azuri Towers development, particularly in the area of technology introduction?

We are always looking at ourselves in the future. Our development is a reflection of what we expect the future to look like. Then we put that into play. Everything in our apartments is smart. Every part of the building communicates with any platform, be it from a car, phone, or even eyes. Motion control is something we are working. It is all about the future with us. Everything someone would want to do must be available here. Azuri Towers will hold some of the best retailers, sporting activities, and even work-from-home spaces available. There are designated spaces that are intended for smart working. This is a place where one can live, work, and play. The marina access means one can even sail away directly. At all times, the challenge is to imagine the future to create in the present or position the present to be able to integrate that future. In light of COVID-19, we have the capacity for virtual meetings and large video conferences. We use all the technology available to think forward. In terms of energy sources, we are fully integrated into the plan for Eko Atlantic City. We will mostly use existing energy sources. We will not create or use our own. We have set up the lighting and other aspects with sensors, and the efficient and intelligent use of energy for the entire development is what we are promoting. That is our way of reducing the amount of energy that is typically wasted by nearly 70%. It is a sustainable project in that sense.

To what extent do your development projects depend on Eko Atlantic?

The dependency today for the construction of Azuri Towers is close to nil, other than waiting for the power solution to come on board by the end of 2021. Everything else that we might have needed as a developer in Eko Atlantic City is already in place. Eko Atlantic City has made my life easier as a developer from the beginning of the process with registering titles. It complements and enables work for developers, which I happily recommend to others. The quality and integrity of the infrastructure to date has exemplified the principle of care and it is precise so that we are doing things only once.  The Roads, Water, Seawage  and Waste Treatment are in place or be completed by the time we open,

How important will mixed-use spaces be to the future landscape of real estate in Nigeria?

This is the future of Nigeria and Africa. There has been a tradition of disorganized infrastructure, which is frustrating. The federal government of Nigeria decided in the 1970s to turn Lagos into a more urban planned space. That became Abuja, which is a well-planned city. There is a transition happening in South Africa as well. Urban planning is now becoming a trend. Now, the private sector is realizing that people want to live in new cities and accommodations. They want to live remotely, away from the chaos of the old city. This is the only way we can create a new world for our children and grandchildren. We believe and belong in Africa. This is where we want to retire and where we want to be buried. It is where we must give something back. Therefore, we must join forces with those courageous enough to create these new cities. What makes Eko Atlantic special is the fact that it is the biggest newly man-made city of its time, with all the infrastructure that you would expect. It is the biggest of its kind by a private developer anywhere on the planet. Elsewhere in the world, such as Dubai, the government is behind the large complexes and developments. There are more roads in Eko Atlantic today than in old Victoria Island, and it is twice the size of Victoria Island. Eko Atlantic will move to a level of development where those on Victoria Island would leave and relocate here to regenerate the entire island. I see that happening in the next 10-15 years. There is a vision for Lagos that Eko Atlantic and the Lekki free zone enable.

What are your goals for this year?

We are focused on what we want to achieve. It is important to keep it simple and honest. For us, the delivery of Azuri Towers in December 2021 is the top priority. We have the resources to complete the project on time. We will work extremely hard with our builders ITB. Then, our next priority will be to welcome the families who will occupy these special apartments. While the core development is important, it is equally important to see families take over these spaces, living, working, and playing here. Then, we can start the planning for our next development. These are our aspirations for the next 20 months.

SNAPSHOT

Crème de la crème of society seeks to position themselves here

Always looking toward the future

LAGOSA is a proudly Nigerian Radio series that tells the story of the first Mayor of Eko Atlantic City. The story amplifies the very best of Nigeria/Africa with an aspirational story telling; transporting listeners to a desired future.

The MD/CEO of Eko Development Wale Opayinka formally made commitment to sponsor the 3rd season of the forward thinking, ground-breaking radio drama which is inspired by this new city, carved out to be Africa’s new financial centre.

Much like Eko Development, the producers of the show are visionary, innovative and creative. So as part of our corporate social initiative to in part to promote the best of Nigeria in terms of people, products & potential, we are partnering with LAGOSA as a sustainable catalyst for the series.

Characters in LAGOSA across 4 generations, Characters in LAGOSA cut across 4 generations, including millennials. They embody the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of Africa.

Olu Jacobs, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Femi Jacobs, Michelle Dede, Adeolu Adefarasin, Oludara Egerton-Shyngle and a host of other outstanding Nollywood talent perform on the show.

Radio airplay of the series has been consistent, allowing us to build a growing listener base in Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt, in partnership with Nigeria Info FM and Cool FM.

The land on which Eko Atlantic City is situated 10 million square metres, with many facilities, including good road network, drainage, independent power, fresh air and a feeling of being in Dubai. Daily Trust reporter recently went round the amazing city built on water and spoke to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Eko Development Company, Mr. Olawale Opayinka, and he gave an insight into the city.

Mr. Opayinka said, “Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, is a city which was created to protect the Victoria Island shoreline. Many decades ago, the Atlantic Ocean used to overflow Ahmadu Bello Way. When the water level rises, it used to cause flooding. “With the acceleration of the impact of climate change and the related environmental antecedents, if there was no way to curb the surge from the Atlantic Ocean, eventually, Victoria Island as we know it today would have been under a lot of threats. In mid-2000, discussions were held on how to protect VI and Lagos as a whole; that led to the idea to put a sea wall to the Atlantic Ocean. The sea wall today is about 1.3km away from Ahmadu Bello Way and it is 10 metres above sea level. The sea wall stretches about 8.5km out of which 6.5km is completed.” Lagos residents voiced their fear on building on the Atlantic. Little did they know that not just any building, but high-rise towers would be built on the land which was once part of the Atlantic Ocean.” Mr. Opayinka, a building expert insists there is no cause for alarm. He said, “There is a huge infrastructure in place to channel water, so water cannot be the problem. The floors in the towers within the city are so high that the fourth floor of a building in VI is the first floor of a building in the Atlantic City. The surge has never gone as high as a floor not to talk of climbing three floors. Every tower in the Phases 1 and 2 of the buildings in the city are going to be towers, and the first two floors are going to be for parking.” On what is so special about the much talked about Atlantic City, Opayinka explained that, “There is a significant amount of every basic infrastructure in the city. There is an area where independent power will be generated to the whole city. There will be state-of-the art drainage system, any ocean water that comes into the city will have a comprehensive network to ensure all waters are drained out. State-of-the-art fibre optic cables have gone throughout the city already and the roads and bridges are in place too. When you build towers, roads and other infrastructure, maintenance is an issue, and we have systems in place to ensure it is well maintained. We are building towers and infrastructure that will serve many decades.” Considering the rate of building collapse in Nigeria, he noted that, “Everything used in making the towers is pure concrete. The builders of this city have built many places such as the National Assembly, Eko Hotel, Lagos Continental Hotel, among others, and such buildings are still standing.” He emphasised that Eko Atlantic would be the new financial centre of West Africa because, “when it matures, it will contribute a billion dollars in a year. Many financial institutions, capital houses, merchant banks and microfinance institutions across Africa and West Africa will be in the city.” One of the towers in the city, Eko Pearl, has been completed and people are already living in it. Another tower which is yet to be completed is the Azuri Towers, where there are three towers on a footprint of 13,500 meters with five concrete flooring. Opayinka said, “In Azuri Towers, affordable and expensive luxury is being built, basically the kind of life people want to buy in Dubai. It is located in the most dynamic part of the city. Out of the three towers, there is one office and two residential buildings.” According to the CEO, Azuri 1, an iconic building, is the tallest residential tower in Nigeria and West Africa and the second tallest in Africa. The 33-floor building has a height of 145 meters. The Azuri 2, a 29-storey building, is also one of the tallest residential buildings in Africa, while the Azuri offices is 32 floors. When completed, 130 families will be living in the tower. At the moment, the towers have generated employment for over 270 people and are expected to be completed in December, 2021. “The towers will draw people to the city and this will make tourism thrive as it offers people the opportunity to live, work and play,” he said. He further explained that Azuri Towers had 18 lifts with facilities such as a gym, shopping mall, squash court, Olympic size 50m swimming pool, spa, restaurants high security, four floors of parking, clean air, among other attractions. “Our plan is to ensure the third and fourth generations of Nigerians can live in the towers we are building now. Our consideration is that the structures here should endure for 150 to 200 years,” he said.

“Azuri One is today, the tallest residential tower in Nigeria and the tallest in West Africa. It is the only the second tallest residential tower in Africa after the one in South Africa,” Olawale Opayinka, MD/CEO, Eko Development Company told BusinessDay.

Describing the iconic building which is located in the most dynamic area of Eko Atlantic City, the Marina; one of the waterways into Eko Atlantic expected to draw many visitors into the city itself, the developers said in Azuri Towers we will have 130 families living in the two residential towers.
“We have 27 floors of office apartment and that is 27,000 square metre of office space, we’ll have a shopping mall in the first two floors that will cater for the immediate needs of the residents,” Opayinka said during a media tour of the tower.

The dynamic twenty-fifth-century metropolis, which will benefit from international-standard facilities including modern hospitals, new school, and contemporary offices, will be a world-class safe environment in which to live, work and play, as assured by the company.

As one of the real estate projects in Eko Atlantic city, Azuri Towers is covered by the benefits from the City which is being built on 10 million square metres beside the Atlantic Ocean.

Destined to be West Africa’s new financial centre, Eko Atlantic, Lagos’ ambitious multi-billion dollar new city is both reliable and secure. Eko Atlantic’s state of the art infrastructure, including its water-processing plant (providing potable tap water) and modern utility systems (all under one management company), guarantees an exceptionally comfortable lifestyle.

“Azuri Towers, our leading world-class development is part of a long-term programme to create outstanding homes with luxurious living. An investment in the Azuri Towers’ apartments for which projects a rental yield of 7 perecnt per annum with full occupancy represents an ideal option to preserve the value of hard-earned savings,” Opayinka said.

With a starting price of N280 million, Azuri Towers, has an environmentally-friendly transport system, including a modern motorway, up-to-date ferry service and helicopter service linking the city of Lagos, will ensure the Eko Atlantic is the best-connected city in West Africa, the Eko Development Company assured.

According to Opayinka,  each apartment in Azuri is dedicated to luxury with only the finest quality materials being used. “All are equipped with the latest high-end appliances which range from District Cooling air conditioning to broadband (which is also provided throughout the entire city).”

The residential arms of Azuri offer forty luxury three-bedroom apartments, forty luxury four-bedroom apartment and four luxury six-bedroom simplexes (penthouse). The beautifully proportioned spaces and large windows create light and airy room for relaxed and entertaining. Also, the games rooms offer a variety of sport, a screening room, children’s room and delightful playground which are all part of the abundant amenities.

Eko Development is a real estate development company dedicated to creating luxury residences of the highest specification.

Eko Development has formed a partnership with ITB Nigeria Ltd, one of Nigeria’s leading building and civil engineering companies. The company has created numerous landmark projects in Nigeria including the National Assembly complex-Abuja, Karamo Beach Residences-Victoria Island, Kings Tower-Ikoyi, Heritage Place-Ikoyi and the Eko Hotel Expo centre victoria Island, all in Lagos.

Standing on 10 million square metres of land, Eko Atlantic City is expected to leverage real estate, services, tourism and employment to achieve more than $1 billion GDP contribution. The projected contribution represents 0.25 percent of Nigeria’s current GDP size of about $400 billion.

“When it matures it will easily be contributing about 10 percent to the total revenue generated in Lagos state per annum, in figures that will be more than $1 billion a year to Lagos and Nigeria’s economy,” Olawale Opayinka, MD/CEO, Eko Development Company told BusinessDay during a recent tour of the projects in the City.

The City which is going to be the new financial centre in West Africa will be contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Lagos and Nigeria, “through real estate, tourism, services and the employment that it will generate.”

With a size area that is twice that of Victoria Island (VI), Eko Atlantic City is expected to house about 250,000 residents and 400,000 people are projected to be employed as workers in the city.

He said that many who have visited the city refer to it as the Dubai of Nigeria and Africa. “We have independent power that will be generated internally. There will be nothing like generators and in the next two years, we’ll have that solution fully implemented. We have state of the art drainage system; it is the best of what you can expect to find in a city anywhere in the world.”

Eko Atlantic City, according to the developer, was created to protect the Victoria Island shoreline. “More than a decade ago, the Atlantic Ocean used to bather the Amadu Bello Way and Victoria Island and pretty much pushed out some of those state liaison offices and would cause a lot flooding,” it explained.

The discussion to develop Eko Atlantic was first held around 2002, and according to the city developers, they came about with the need to protect Victoria Island because it was under threat of the surge from the ocean.

“With the acceleration of the impact of climate change, if we didn’t have a solution to protect and to stop the flooding that was generated from the surge of the Atlantic Ocean, eventually Victoria Island as we know today would have been under a lot more threat,” Opayinka said.

The city which has been undergoing development for almost ten years is said to have been progressing at a pace faster than projected.

“The pace of infrastructure development has been impressive; it goes ahead of what we think it’s going to be,” the MD said.

On the expectations from the City, Opayinka assured that it would be the headquarters of the big banks of West Africa, “more so when you are talking about the convergence of the currency in West Africa like you have in the ECO, because of the infrastructure that we have, those institutions will be based here.”

A most recent project that is expected to be completed from Eko Atlantic City is the Azuri Towers; a large mass development comprising of three towers- office tower and two residential towers. One of the residential towers, called Azuri One, “is today the tallest residential tower in Nigeria and the tallest in West Africa. It is the only the second tallest residential tower in Africa after the one in South Africa,” the development company said.

The iconic building which is located in the most dynamic area of Eko Atlantic City, the Marina, one of the waterways into Eko Atlantic expected to draw many visitors into the city itself is described by the developers as the address to have, and the place to live.

According to the Development Company, Azuri has investment-grade asset, quality assets that can generate rent. The starting price for the residential apartments is N280 million.

“If you look at the kind of rent you can achieve on such property today, you can expect a rental yield of at least 6-7 percent per annum,” Opayinka told BusinessDay during a tour of the tower.

Meanwhile, Alpha1, a flagship office tower from Eko Atlantic City, recently secured the International Finance Corporation’s EDGE certification. The EDGE certification demonstrates Eko Atlantic’s commitment to becoming the first green city in Lagos.

EDGE, which stands for ‘Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies’, cuts down building energy and water consumption by at least 20 percent while lowering greenhouse-gas emissions. The certification was awarded by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.

“The market potential for green buildings in emerging markets is estimated at $24.7 trillion by 2030, according to IFC’s recent report, Green Buildings: A Finance and Policy Blueprint for Emerging Markets,” Marcene Mitchell, IFC’s Global Head for Climate Strategy and Business Development, who leads the EDGE programme, said.