The Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple is one of the newest additions to the Church's growing presence in West Africa, dedicated in May 2025. As the first temple built in Côte d'Ivoire, it represents decades of remarkable membership growth in the region and stands as a beautiful, culturally rich building worth learning about before you visit.
Where It's Located
The temple is located at Lot 118 Riviera Attoban, Bonoumin, in the Cocody suburb of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. It sits on a rise directly behind the stake center for the Cocody Côte d'Ivoire Stake, known for its beautiful residential districts. The grounds feature paver walkways, lush flowerbeds, and a gathering plaza between the temple and the stake center, along with a Church services building next door and a patron accommodation center across the street.
Getting There
Abidjan is home to its own major international airport, Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, which makes this temple considerably more accessible than some of its neighboring West African counterparts. American travelers can generally find connecting international flights into Abidjan through major European or West African hub cities, cutting down on the additional domestic legs required for some other regional temples. From the airport, the Cocody suburb is a manageable drive into the city.
A Bit of History
President Thomas S. Monson announced the temple on April 5, 2015, during the Sunday morning session of the 185th Annual General Conference. At the time, Côte d'Ivoire was home to roughly 20 million people, including more than 22,000 Church members. Missionary work had officially begun in the country in 1988, and in the years leading up to the announcement, membership growth there had been among the fastest in the world. Before this temple was built, members in Abidjan — the country's largest city — had to travel twelve hours to Accra, Ghana, for temple ordinances.
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided at the groundbreaking on November 8, 2018, calling the project "an answer to the prayers of the Saints in Côte d'Ivoire." The public open house ran from May 1 through May 17, 2025, and the temple was formally dedicated on May 25, 2025, by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple was the first temple built in Côte d'Ivoire, the fourth in West Africa, and the eighth on the African continent — following the temples in Johannesburg, Accra, Aba, Kinshasa, Durban, Praia, and Nairobi.
Design and Architecture
The temple sits on 3.23 acres (1.3 hectares) with an exterior finished in painted, hand-troweled stucco and white perimeter walls. A single attached spire, topped with a palladium-leafed angel Moroni statue, rises to a total height of about 84 feet 9 inches (25.8 meters). Inside, the building includes two instruction rooms, two sealing rooms, and one baptistry across roughly 17,362 square feet (1,613 square meters).
The interior design draws on mid-century modern motifs blended with local Ivorian influences. A color palette of blues, greens, and purples creates a calming atmosphere, with touches of magenta reflecting the vibrancy of Abidjan's community. Geometric patterns, angular lines, and raked textures throughout the temple are inspired by the designs of local indigenous cultures. Decorative glass throughout the building, provided by Holdman Studios, incorporates motifs based on local tribal designs, and the temple's original artwork includes pieces like "La Dent de Man" by Josh Clare and "Comoe River" by Michael Workman — both nods to the surrounding landscape.
Final Thoughts
The Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple is a striking example of how modern temple design can honor both the Church's global architectural language and the local culture surrounding it. With its own international airport nearby, it's also one of the more accessible West African temples for travelers coming from the United States, making it a worthwhile stop for anyone tracing the Church's expanding footprint across Africa.
Scott & Riah
Brough Made
https://broughmade.com
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