As part of our online International Education and Schools’ Fair held in November, I interviewed John Todd, Director of Education about his experience of opening the new school, Charterhouse Lagos in Nigeria in 2024 and its exciting growth. He shares some inspiring insights into the bigger picture and how young people and the country will benefit now and in the future.
Shining a spotlight on Charterhouse Lagos, I spoke to John Todd, Director of Education, Charterhouse Lagos about his experience of opening a new school in Nigeria.
John is a seasoned educational leader whose career has spanned continents and cultures, bringing a rich international experience to his role having been head of Green Spring school in Lagos, 2001 to 2007, the place where his oldest, two children were born. Having moved then to the Middle East and China, he explained taking up the position at Charterhouse Lagos, felt very much, “ a return to a place I know, and you know, I've worked in education for a long time… this project is the opportunity with an incredibly supportive set of investors to put all those ideas, all that experience into practice, and so they've allowed me and my team to be involved in every stage of the planning of the facilities.
“And when people come round, they can see that what we've done with the architecture of the school, is very intentional. Now, yes, it looks big and grand, but then inside, the way the classrooms are set out, the way things are organized. It's very intentional. It hasn't been just designed by architects. It's been designed by educators.
“And it really makes a difference. It makes a difference to how the children feel. It makes a difference to the way you can interact with the facilities in the school, because as teachers, we know what we want in a classroom, in a school, we know what we want it to look like, to feel like, and you can tell.
“So that's been really, great. And you know, going forward, we've got hugely ambitious plans for this school, for more schools, and our investors are just raring to go.
Charterhouse Lagos opened in 2024 and now has 120 students with a further intake in January and the school is expecting to start the new academic year with 250/300 students. They opened with years one to six in 2024/25 and then this year have added their secondary school with years seven, eight and nine, and also boarding for which Charterhouse is renowned. John explained, “95 per cent of our secondary school students are actually, boarding, which is really, great. Next year, we're going a bit further. We are adding year 10 for IGCSE and year 12 for A levels”.
“We're very positive about the future, and we describe Charterhouse as a vote of confidence in the future of Nigeria. Because if Nigeria can support a school like this, then honestly, anything is possible…”
Asked about the legacy the school will provide for the educational landscape of Nigeria he expanded, “I think a big concern is so many of Nigeria's brightest and best go to school at 11 or 13, and they spend 10 or more years overseas, at school and then at university, and then don't come back. They don't have the cultural skills, they don't necessarily have the language skills, and they don't have the contacts.
“And Nigeria is a very relational society, and so what our hope is, that by allowing these children to grow up within their own culture, by being in the same school, and creating that network of like- minded individuals, they will then go away for university for a short time, but then they will be able to come back and fit.”
Concluding the interview he reflected, “We're the Charterhouse of Africa, but it’s very much about building those networks for the future. Because Nigeria's future is and every country's future is in their youth and their young people. And we want these young people to go, to get these tertiary skills and then come back and make a difference in this great country”.
Watch the full interview
John Todd has been part of the
Charterhouse Lagos project since its inception, playing a key role in planning, building, procurement, and staff recruitment. His involvement has ensured that the school’s foundation reflects the highest standards of excellence and aligns with its vision for outstanding education.
The Charterhouse family of schools includes
Charterhouse Malaysia and
Charterhouse Almaty opening in Kazakhstan in September 2026.
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9 December 2025
