The National Arts Theatre is one of the prominent venues for the performing arts in Nigeria located in Iganmu, Lagos State. Construction was completed in 1976 in preparation for the Festival of Arts & Culture (FESTAC) in 1977.
The National Arts Theatre was built during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, Its facade is shaped in the form of a military hat. It has a 5000 seater Main Hall with a collapsible stage, and two 700-800 capacity cinema halls all of which are equipped with facilities for simultaneous translation of 8 languages.
In 2001, President Olusegun Obasanjo announced plans to privatise the National Arts Theatre. This sparked controversy amongst Nigerian entertainers and playwrights including Professor Wole Soyinka. #JujuFilms
