World largest church: Inside Winners’ Chapel 109,000-seat ‘The Ark’ as it nears completion
By William Muthama, September 24, 2026The Ark, a massive church auditorium being constructed by Living Faith Church Worldwide, popularly known as Winners’ Chapel, in Nigeria, is nearing completion as construction teams undertake final logistics and finishing works.
The megastructure, located at Canaanland in Ota, Ogun State, is designed to accommodate 109,000 worshippers in its main indoor arena.
Although the project was initially scheduled for a grand dedication on November 29, 2025, Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, announced that the event would be postponed.
According to Oyedepo, the postponement was intended to allow the church to ensure that the structure meets the required standards of engineering and architectural excellence.
Oyedepo recently said the church was waiting for the appropriate time to dedicate the facility.
He maintained that the project was not being delayed because of financial difficulties or shortages of construction materials.
“Everything needed to complete the Ark is already on the ground,” Oyedepo said, according to the update provided by the church.
The church has also procured the 109,000 seats required for the main bowl, with construction teams now focused on completing the remaining installations and logistics.
A 109,000-seat megachurch
Once completed and opened, The Ark is expected to rank among the world’s largest purpose-built church auditoriums by seating capacity.
The main indoor arena has been engineered to accommodate 109,000 people, giving the facility a stadium-like scale.
The project is situated within the expansive Canaanland estate, the headquarters of Living Faith Church Worldwide.
The facility reportedly sits on a foundation extending more than 21 metres underground and features a roof span measuring approximately 318 metres.
Twin Towers form part of the complex
The megaproject also features two 12-floor mission twin towers.
The towers are intended to house the church’s global international headquarters, adding administrative and operational facilities to the vast worship complex.
The combination of the main auditorium, towers and supporting infrastructure makes The Ark one of the most ambitious religious construction projects in the region.
One of the major engineering features of The Ark is its internal movement system, designed to help thousands of worshippers move through the facility efficiently.
The project is fitted with a large number of mechanical movement systems, including escalators, elevators and travelators.
The infrastructure is intended to manage the movement of large crowds entering, leaving and navigating the complex during major church services and events.
According to details provided about the project, the facility includes 126 escalators, 29 elevators and travelators, forming part of what is described as a record-setting internal transportation system.
Built without loans
The project is also described as being constructed without conventional debt financing.
According to the information provided by the church, the multi-billion-naira project is being developed debt-free, without loans, foreign aid or financial levies imposed on church members.
The total cost has been estimated at approximately $200 million, Ksh25.89 billion, although the exact final cost may change as construction and finishing works are completed.
Despite the scale of the project, The Ark is not yet fully complete.
The remaining work is focused on final installations, logistics and finishing, with the church yet to announce a new date for the grand dedication.
Oyedepo has maintained that the project will be dedicated when the church considers the facility ready, signalling that the focus remains on completing the remaining works to the desired engineering and architectural standards.
When completed, The Ark will become a major addition to Canaanland and one of the most prominent religious megastructures in Nigeria.