Long before the housemates arrive, a team of Nigerian artisans, engineers and designers works behind the scenes to build the Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) house.

For Season 11, the process started in November 2025, almost nine months before the show’s July 26, 2026 premiere. The team spent months developing concepts, creating designs, sourcing materials and planning the project before construction began.

Months of Planning and Construction

The crew transformed the space into a fully functional reality TV set in just two months.

By launch night, the house featured 52 robotic pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, seven handheld cameras, 59 microphones, 36 antenna blades and 19 speakers. These devices help the production team capture every conversation and movement throughout the season.

The house sits next to the live television studio. It can host more than 20 housemates and allows cameras to follow activities across different sections of the building.

A Different House Design

Producers say this year’s house looks very different from recent editions.

“The house that we have now is fundamentally different from the house that we’ve had in the last three years.”

A major change came in 2024 when the team moved the staircase to the centre of the living room and relocated the bedrooms upstairs. The new layout changed how housemates move around the house and interact with one another.

The design team focuses on more than appearance when making changes.

“It’s a level of design ambition that goes well beyond aesthetics. Every reconfiguration is built around camera coverage, sightlines, and how housemates naturally gather and interact, the architectural equivalent of a director blocking a scene, except the “actors” never leave the set.”

Built by Nigerian Experts

The production team completed every part of the project in Nigeria. Local experts handled the civil engineering, electrical installations, interior decoration and finishing works.

The project creates more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs each season. Carpenters, electricians, decorators, engineers and other skilled workers all contribute to the construction process.

Beyond the House

The work does not stop after construction ends. Hundreds of professionals help run the show. They include camera operators, production crews, ninjas, housekeeping staff, caterers and technical support teams.

BBNaija Season 11 launches tonight, July 26, 2026. Fans can watch the show from 7 p.m. on Africa Magic Showcase and Africa Magic Family. Viewers can also follow the 24-hour live broadcast on DStv Channel 198, GOtv Channel 49, DStv Stream and GOtv Stream