The Atlantic Hall story
A shared dream, A lasting legacy.
The dream that became Atlantic Hall began in the mid-1980s with a few good friends, a concern for their children’s future and the determination to make a difference.
What started as a conversation over dinner grew into a collective commitment to education. Its purpose was clear: to establish a secondary school where academic excellence and character development would work together to prepare children for life.
That founding ambition remains at the heart of Atlantic Hall’s story—a belief that education should develop the whole child and equip young people to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
Our beginnings
A conversation that became a calling
In the mid-1980s, a group of mothers and working women met once a month for dinner and conversation. During one of these gatherings, their discussion turned to what they saw as a decline in the standards of secondary education in Nigeria.
They were concerned that their children might not have access to the quality of education they themselves had received. Rather than accept that prospect, they decided to take action. Together, they began working towards a school that would combine strong academic learning with the character, discipline and confidence needed for a well-rounded life.
The undertaking proved demanding. Establishing a school required resources, organisation and sustained effort, and the founders encountered considerable obstacles along the way. Their shared conviction and determination kept the project moving forward.
From vision to reality
Building the foundations
The Atlantic Hall Educational Trust Council was formed in January 1986. Over the next three years, its members worked individually and collectively, with the support of organisations, to raise the funds needed to establish the school.
In January 1989, Atlantic Hall commenced operations in the quiet surroundings of Maryland Estate, Ikeja, Lagos. Years of planning and perseverance had become a place where children could learn and grow.
Today, Atlantic Hall’s campus in Epe represents the continuing development of that original undertaking. The setting has evolved, while the founding commitment to academic excellence and the development of the whole child continues to shape the school’s identity.
Pioneers of our legacy
The women behind the vision
Their shared determination gave Atlantic Hall its beginning. We honour the ten founding members of the Educational Trust Council.
OUR FOUNDING PIONEERS
Ten women.
One shared vision.
Honouring the women who brought Atlantic Hall into being.
Chief (Mrs.) Marlies Allan
Founding Chairman
Chief (Mrs.) T. I. Taiwo
Chief (Mrs.) A. O. Bode-Thomas
Ms. L. Aboderin
Chief (Mrs.) Eniola Fadayomi
Dr. (Mrs.) K. O. Dina
Chief (Mrs.) M. M. Okunowo
Mrs. G. O. Fadayomi
In memoriam
Lady O. M. Smith
Mrs. O. Towry-Coker
The school’s history also acknowledges the contribution of successive Boards of Governors. Alongside the Trustees, they have helped carry the founding vision forward through their service and commitment to the institution.
An environment for growth
A place to learn, live and develop
Atlantic Hall’s purpose-built accommodation and facilities support the academic and boarding experience. Classrooms, practical learning spaces, residential accommodation and recreational facilities provide the setting for study, daily life and personal development.
Comfort, hygiene and safety are important considerations within this environment. The campus supports an approach to education in which learning extends beyond lessons to include responsibility, friendship and participation in community life.
A legacy carried forward
Learning that reaches beyond school
Atlantic Hall’s development has included a dual-curriculum approach and preparation for Nigerian and international examinations, including the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the IGCSE. Academic learning remains connected to the wider ambition of preparing students for their next stage of education and life.
The school’s alumni have pursued work and study across entrepreneurship, sport, medicine, law, engineering, architecture, fashion, the humanities, economics and the arts. Their varied paths reflect the breadth of interests and possibilities that a well-rounded education can support.
Atlantic Hall has also contributed to its wider community through employment and the work of the people who sustain the school. Its story is therefore one of educational ambition and shared effort, carried forward by founders, governors, staff, students and families.
Each new generation becomes part of that continuing story, building on a vision that began with a group of friends determined to create a better educational future for their children.
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