Assessment of curriculum for a sustainable interior architecture and design education in Nigeria

Interior architecture and design as a profession has played a significant role in people's daily lives since ancient times, and interest in education within the profession has increased considerably over the years. The teaching of interior architecture is focused on designing and shaping internal spaces that are functional, safe, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing within the built environment. However, in Nigeria, although architecture education and curriculum have attracted considerable academic attention, the gap has shown that interior architecture remains underexplored, particularly in terms of sustainable pedagogy, curriculum, and practice. This paper presents an assessment of existing literature and policy documents on the curriculum for sustainable interior architectural education in Nigeria, its challenges and possibilities within the context of global and local imperatives. An assessment of scholarly publications, institutional reports, the NUC policy documents on CCMAS Architecture 2023 for interior architecture and design education in Nigeria, and accreditation guidelines was conducted using desktop research methodology. However, promising opportunities are emerging from a greater focus on sustainable development, technological advancements, and the integration of indigenous knowledge systems into sustainable interior education and practices. The study recommends that successfully embedding sustainable local content into interior architectural education requires curriculum reform, enhanced faculty capacity, stronger collaborations between industry and academia, and contextually adapted approaches that align global standards with Nigeria’s socio-cultural realities. The paper concludes by offering practical recommendations for designers, educators, policymakers, researchers, industry stakeholders, and community members. They are intended to emphasize pathways that boost the role of sustainable, future-oriented education, enabling graduates to create spaces that are in harmony with the environment, enrich lives, and promote future well-being.