Introduction
Lagos continues to live up to its reputation as the beating heart of African creativity, offering a whirlwind of vibrant festivals, fashion showcases, and art events from October to November 2024. From the return of Lagos Fashion Week to ART X Lagos and Design Week Lagos, the city has positioned itself as a hub for Pan-African creativity, drawing talents from across the continent and the diaspora. Here's a breakdown of the major events that have captivated Lagos and their significance, especially for Africans and the Diaspora.
Lagos Fashion Week 2024: A Celebration of Pan-African Collaboration
Lagos Fashion Week 2024 took centre stage from October 23-27, bringing together over 60 designers from across Africa to present their Spring/Summer 2025 collections. Under the theme “COMMUNE,” this year’s event celebrated the collective efforts that go into making African fashion a global force. Brands like Boyedoe (Ghana), Lilabare (Kenya), and Loza Maléombho (Côte D’Ivoire) joined Nigerian favourites such as Emmy Kasbit, Ugo Monye, and Pettre Taylor to showcase the continent’s innovation in fashion.
More than just a display of style, Lagos Fashion Week is a platform for African designers to gain international visibility, helping bridge the gap between local craftsmanship and global markets. For Africans in the diaspora, this event serves as a reminder of the continent's creative ingenuity and a celebration of the shared African identity. Many of the collections drew on local traditions, fabrics, and cultural motifs, allowing the diaspora to reconnect with their heritage in new, modern ways.
ART X Lagos 2024: Promised Lands and New Futures
ART X Lagos, West Africa’s premier international art fair, wrapped up on November 3, 2024, after a four-day celebration of African contemporary art. This year's theme, "Promised Lands," invited audiences to explore imagined or real places that offer hope, freedom, and creativity. Featuring works from over 31 African artists and galleries, ART X Lagos not only showcased the vibrancy of the continent’s art scene but also highlighted the global relevance of African artists.
Key highlights included filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu’s first solo exhibition in Africa, a reflection on the dynamism of African cities, and a participatory experience at Speakers' Corner: The Crossroads, curated by poet Wana Wana, where guests shared personal narratives. The fair also incorporated music, fashion, and film, most notably during ART X Live!, where Nigerian Fuji legend Adewale Ayuba and genre-bending artist Cruel Santino performed to packed crowds.
For Africans from the diaspora, ART X Lagos provided an opportunity to connect with the stories and themes that resonate with their experiences—identity, migration, hope, and resistance. With each edition, the fair continues to solidify its role as a bridge between African and global audiences, demonstrating the power of art as a medium for cultural connection and social change.
Design Week Lagos: Shaping the Future of African Design
Design Week Lagos 2024, which ran concurrently with Lagos Fashion Week, is a growing force on the international design stage. Focused on “The Role of Design in Economic Evolution,” this year's event explored how design can fuel economic growth in Africa. With inflation and economic instability pressing concerns, many exhibitors turned to sustainable practices, showcasing innovative materials and ancestral design inspirations.
Designers like Ronke Ladipo, with her Siga Chair, and Temitope El-shabazz, with his ite chair, drew on African heritage to create pieces that are both functional and deeply cultural. The event also fostered conversations around how the continent’s design industry can be a catalyst for economic change, highlighting how local design can drive global interest and investment.
For members of the African diaspora, Design Week Lagos serves as a reminder of Africa's rich potential. The fair pushes the boundaries of what African design can be, ensuring that Africa is not just a source of inspiration but a leader in the global design conversation.
Afropolis Lagos 2024: A Celebration of African Creativity and Heritage
From October 26 to November 3, 2024, Afropolis Lagos transformed the city into a buzzing center of African creativity. Themed “Within New Myth,” the nine-day international festival drew artists, innovators, and tourists from across the continent and the diaspora, celebrating Lagos as a cultural melting pot. With over 200 participants from 11 countries, the festival featured visual art exhibitions, music concerts, dance performances, and pop-up art spaces.
Notable moments included a vibrant carnival procession through Lagos Island and panel discussions at the Afropolis Global African Vibez Exchange, which explored Lagos’ role in the global African creative economy. For diasporans, Afropolis is a powerful representation of the cultural and creative energy that continues to emerge from Africa, offering a space to celebrate identity, innovation, and resilience.
Lagos Book and Art Festival 2024: Telling Stories of Hope
Lagos Book and Art Festival returns to Freedom Park on November 11, 2024, under the theme “Breakout: Hope is a Stubborn Thing.” With six panels and a focus on 12 books, the festival promises compelling dialogues on themes of social justice, identity, and resilience. A highlight of the event is a discussion on “Parallels and Paradoxes: Exploration in Music and Society,” led by poet Aduke Gomez and lawyer Toki Mabogunje, which will delve into the complex interplay of culture and society in Africa and beyond.
For Africans in the diaspora, this festival is a space to engage with literary voices from home and share in the stories of hope that have shaped the continent.
Lagos Theatre Festival 2024: Showcasing Africa’s Dramatic Talent
The Lagos Theatre Festival (LITF), debuting in November 2024, was established by renowned producer Bolanle Austen-Peters in collaboration with Lagos State. The festival, backed by corporate giants such as First Bank of Nigeria Limited and Amstel Malta, set out to create a thriving community for African thespians.
Under this year’s theme of "Excellence and Sustainability in Theatre," the LITF highlighted Africa’s vast storytelling traditions through musicals, skits, and theatre repertory. The performances explored themes of migration, identity, and African myths, resonating with African audiences worldwide. For the diaspora, the festival was a way to stay in touch with their cultural roots, promoting pride and fostering connections through the dramatic arts.
Conclusion
The past few months in Lagos have been a showcase of the city's vibrancy as a global hub for African creativity. From fashion to art, design, and literature, these events not only celebrate local talent but also serve as crucial points of connection for Africans in the diaspora. Each festival brings the continent closer to the rest of the world, offering spaces for reflection, celebration, and dialogue that resonate far beyond Nigeria's borders.
