Aba Nigeria Temple

Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints

The Aba Nigeria Temple is the 121st operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints (LDS Church).

The intent to construct the temple in Aba, in the state of Abia, to serve the nation's 68,000 Latter day Saints was announced on April 2, 2000. This was the third temple to be built in Africa. The highly visible temple site is on the outskirts of Aba along the Ogbor River. A bridge had to be built over the river to provide access to the temple. A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication, with H. Bruce Stucky of the Seventy presiding, was held on February 23, 2002. More than 2,000 people were present at the ceremony including church leaders and members, tribal chiefs from the area, and government leaders. Construction began soon after the site dedication. An open house was held from June 18 to July 2, 2005, to allow people to tour the inside of the temple and learn about the ceremonies performed inside LDS temples. The day before the temple was dedicated, a celebration was held, recounting the story of the area through song and dance. LDS Church president Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Aba Nigeria Temple the following day, on August 7, 2005. More than 7,000 people were present for the dedication. The Aba Nigeria Temple has a total floor area of , two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms. The outer walls are made of Namibian pearl granite.

The temple was closed in mid June 2009 because of violence in the Aba area. In an e mail to the Ogden Standard Examiner a Nigeria temple worker reported an incident in which four gunmen were seen carrying AK 47s, with shooting reported in the area around the temple. Bullets from the shooting struck the guardhouse on the temple grounds. In 2020, along with all the church's other temples, the Aba Nigeria Temple was closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.