Members of The Church in Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa will soon be able to attend the temple in their own country. The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the dates for the Abidjan Temple open house and dedication. Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the temple on Sunday, May 25, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. GMT. Prior to that, a public open house will allow the general public to tour the temple starting on Thursday May 1, 2025 and continuing through Saturday, May 17, 2025, excluding Sundays. Local media will be invited on Monday April 28, 2025, and special invited guests will have two days set apart just for them to tour the temple on April 29 and 30.
The Abidjan Temple will be the first temple to be operational in Cote d'Ivoire, the third temple in West Africa, and the seventh on the continent of Africa. It has been eagerly awaited since it was announced by President Thomas S. Monson in 2015 and since the temple groundbreaking, which was presided over by Elder Neil L. Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 2018. Currently, members of The Church in Abidjan wishing to attend the temple travel over 12 hours by car to reach the Accra Ghana Temple. The Abidjan Temple will now serve the growing population of Cote d'Ivoire as well as nearby countries.
Missionary work didn't officially start in Cote d'Ivoire until 1988. Since then, growth in the country and throughout west Africa has been rapid and consistent, with the Africa West Area being the fastest growing area of The Church. Today, there are nearly 66,000 members of The Church in Cote d'Ivoire alone, with 4 missions, 21 stakes, and 10 districts serving the members there. The addition of a temple promises to help the work go forth even more prolifically in West Africa.