Temple Site Possibilities: Africa West Area

Hello again, everyone! As we begin a new workweek, I am back with my third post about future temple possibilities. In this post, I will be sharing information I have compiled about prospective areas that could get a temple in the Africa West Area of the Church, then I will be inviting your comments. Let's get right into that.

First, let's talk about the general potential for future temples in the Church's Africa West Area. LDS growth experts have stated that there could be as many as 13 operating temples in this area by 2030. Given that statement, and the fact that there are only 3 such temples currently, that means 10 more will need to be announced in the next 13 years to make that possible. It could happen. I will explore some of those future possibilities later on in this post.

Before doing so, I wanted to share the information I have been able to compile about the current temples in the Africa West Area, and those that are in various stages in the construction process. There are three temples in that area at the moment, in Accra Ghana, in Aba Nigeria, and the one announced in 2015 for Abidjan in the Ivory Coast. As with the previous post, let's talk about each of these temples to set the background for locations I have felt may be prime locations for a temple.

Next, I want to talk about Nigeria. The Aba temple is the only one in that nation, and as far as I can tell, Aba is not home to one of the missions in Nigeria. That said, Nigeria does have six missions. The first such mission was created in Lagos in 1980, and since that time, 5 other missions have been established, including the Enugu, Calabar, Benin City, and Owerrri missions.

Additionally, the Aba Temple district covers 44 stakes and 16 districts, which in turn are comprised of 341 wards, and 249 branches, for a total of 590 congregations, which is a huge district by anyone's definition. Additionally, since the dedication of the Aba Temple in 2005, Nigeria has seen 22 new stakes created, along with 14 districts. It is clear to me that Nigeria could use another temple, and if the general growth in West Africa is any indication, that is bound to happen sooner rather than later.

Now, we turn our attention to Ghana. Before going into specifics on that nation, I wanted to note just how significant it is that I am talking about it now.  Just a short while ago, I received news that one of Ghana's districts had been upgraded to a stake on October 22. So that information will no doubt play a role in how soon a second temple might be announced for Ghana. That said, let's get into the specifics about Ghana.

That nation's first mission was created in Accra in 1985. 20 years later, the second mission was created in the Cape Coast area, and the final two missions were created within a year of each other, one in Kumasi, and a second for Accra. I don't know how the Church's announced intention to consolidate missions will affect Ghana. What I do know is that there are 20 stakes and 11 districts, which are in turn made up of 151 wards and 152 branches, which bring the total number of congregations in that nation to 303, which is a lot for one temple district,

Additionally, since the 2004 dedication of the one temple in Accra, Ghana has seen an increase of 3 missions, 14 stakes (including the one upgraded from a district), and 8 districts. That is significant growth any way it is considered. A second temple in Ghana makes a lot of sense for all of these reasons.

Now, a few words about the Ivory Coast. Only two missions are in that nation, both headquartered in Abidjan, the capital city, where that nation's first temple was announced in 2015. At the moment, the Ivory Coast has 13 stakes and 12 districts, which further break down into 106 wards and 101 branches. The total number of congregations in the Ivory Coast now number 207, which is a lot for one temple. And since the announcement of the Abidjan Temple on April 5 of 2015, the temple has not yet progressed to a groundbreaking. That said, since that temple was announced, the Ivory Coast has not only had its second mission established, but also 6 new stakes created, along with 10 districts. That kind of growth warrants another temple soon, but I also believe that we could even see a third in that nation within the next 30 years or less.

So, which temples made my list for the Africa West Area? I believe that a second temple in Nigeria is only a matter of time, and I have listed either Benin City or Lagos for that honor. So which might it be? Lagos seems more likely. It is 373.8 miles from the Aba temple. As the home city of the first mission to be established in Nigeria, there are five stakes there currently, which in turn have 41 wards and 5 branches, for a total of 46 congregations.

There is a compelling case in favor of Benin City as well. It is just under 200 miles from Aba, and even further from Lagos. The most recent mission created in Nigeria was established in Benin City. Benin City is also home to 6 stakes, which break down further into 51 wards and 14 branches, for a total of 65 congregations in that city.

As you can see, I have my own thoughts on the most likely location for Nigeria's second temple. But I see both cities getting a temple within the next 30 years or less.

In terms of Ghana's next temple, it seems apparent to me that Kumasi is the top contender, since there is a mission there (which has several branches within its jurisdiction). Additionally, I found three stakes in that city, which have a total of 22 wards and 15 branches, or a total of 37 congregations.

If and when the Ivory Coast gets another temple, I have felt that might be in Yamoussoukro, which is far enough away from Abidjan that a second temple there makes sense. While I didn't look at the geography of the Ivory Coast, I imagine that a second temple in Yamoussoukro would split the Abidjan district roughly in half. There may be other cities in that nation that could get a temple, but I think the next one there will be in Yamoussoukro.

Additionally on my list for the Africa West Area, I have Freetown Sierra Leone, Monrovia Liberia, and Lome Togo. Let's talk briefly about each.  The only mission in Sierra Leone was established around 10  years ago. Right now, there are 2 stakes and 6 districts, which are further divided into 17  wards and 48 branches, for a total of 65 congregations. Additionally, Sierra Leone ranks as the 6th in the top 10 nations that have the strongest Church presence but does not yet have a temple in any stage. That is significant, making Sierra Leone a high priority on my list of future temples for this area.

As far as a temple for Liberia, that makes sense for a couple of reasons. Monrovia is home to the only Liberian mission. Liberia also has two stakes (both in Monrovia) and two other districts. These four main units are divided further into 14 wards and 21 branches, for a total of 35 congregations. If we add the 2 districts (comprised of a total of 20 branches) that fall under the jurisdiction of the Monrovia mission, a temple there makes even more sense.

Finally, a temple for Lome Togo is a late addition to my list. In the nation of Togo, the Church operates no missions, but there are 2 stakes, which are further divided into 14 wards and 3 branches, or a total of 17 congregations. So a temple there makes a lot of sense, If not in the near future, then I see it happening prior to 2030.

Those are the choices I have on my personal list. That does it for this post. Any comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, especially any feedback any of you would care to give on my list. Thank you for the privilege of your time, and until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings upon you.