By Olayinka Akanbi
ART X Lagos 2025 showcases African artists, galleries, and global collectors, highlighting Lagos as a leading hub for contemporary art
When ART X Lagos announced it would be opening its doors in November 2025, the atmosphere in the creative industry was charged with anticipation.
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The fair, now in its tenth year, has grown from a bold experiment in 2016 into West Africa’s leading art event, a cultural anchor that has steadily positioned Lagos as a global hub for contemporary African art.
Expanding across four venues, including the Balmoral Marquee, Ballroom Marquee, Lobby, and Waterfront Garden, this year’s edition reflected both ambition and maturity, a sign that Nigeria’s art infrastructure is evolving to meet international standards.
The theme ‘Imagining Otherwise, No Matter the Tide’ captured the spirit of the fair.
It was a curatorial call to artists and audiences to envision futures beyond the uncertainties of economic volatility and global instability.
The anniversary was described as ‘a decade of defiance’, a phrase that resonated with the fair’s determination to champion African creativity against the odds.
Among the standout artists was Arinze Stanley, whose hyperrealist graphite drawings explored resilience and identity, pushing Nigerian portraiture into new global dialogues.
Sola Olulode, a London-based Nigerian painter, brought dreamy figurative works that centred queer love and intimacy, offering fresh perspectives on diasporic narratives.
Deborah Segun presented bold abstract works such as All Joined Together and A State of
Calmness, emphasising femininity, the body, and the complexity of human relationships.
Chika Idu contributed socially conscious pieces, including Entrapment and State of Mind, tackling environmental and psychological themes with urgency.
The galleries were equally pivotal. O’DA Art positioned itself as a bridge between Lagos and international collectors, showcasing cutting-edge contemporary African art.
Wunika Mukan Gallery elevated emerging voices with experimental practices, while Alexis Galleries reinforced its reputation by presenting established names such as Chika Idu.
Gallerists in Lagos are transforming the city’s art scene, nurturing new collectors and defining the visual language of contemporary African art.
Beyond the artworks, the fair signalled broader shifts in Nigeria’s art market.
Despite inflation and currency challenges, collectors remained committed, and international interest grew.
Diaspora engagement was strong, with artists and buyers reinforcing Lagos’s role as a hub for African identity.
The integration of cinema, literature, and music, particularly through ART X Live, showed that the market is diversifying beyond traditional painting and sculpture.
Lagos is increasingly seen as a gateway for African art, competing with Cape Town, Marrakech, and Dakar.
The fair’s international draw was unmistakable, with collectors, curators, and enthusiasts arriving from across Africa and beyond.
One Lagos-based gallerist remarked that ART X Lagos has bridged local and global audiences, noting that it is no longer just about selling art but about shaping narratives.
Artists echoed this sentiment.
Arinze Stanley emphasised that Nigerian art is not peripheral but central to the global story.
Still, challenges remain.
Currency volatility continues to affect sales and partnerships, accessibility for broader Nigerian audiences is limited, and questions about sustainability and balancing commercial growth with cultural authenticity persist.
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Yet, this edition of ART X Lagos underscored that Nigeria’s art market is entering a new phase of recognition, maturity, and innovation.
