Lagos

Introduction

Lagos is the largest city in Africa and the beating heart of Nigeria — a sprawling, fast-moving coastal megacity spread across the mainland and a chain of islands and lagoons on the Atlantic. It is the commercial engine of the continent's biggest economy and, increasingly, its cultural capital: the home of Afrobeats, the powerhouse of Nollywood, and a booming contemporary art and fashion scene. For travellers, Lagos is about energy and culture rather than tidy sightseeing — beaches and lagoon life, a music and nightlife scene that the world now follows, some of the best food in West Africa, and the sheer creative momentum of a young, ambitious city.

Overview

Lagos State is essentially Greater Lagos — a metropolis of some twenty million people built across the mainland and a string of Atlantic islands. The islands are where most visitors stay and play: Victoria Island and Ikoyi hold the business district, the embassies, the smart hotels, restaurants, galleries and nightlife, while the rapidly developing Lekki Peninsula extends east past the Lekki Conservation Centre's famous canopy walkway, the Nike Art Gallery's five floors of Nigerian art, beach clubs and the new Lagos of gated estates and malls. Across the water, Lagos Island holds the dense historic core and the city's great markets — Balogun and Idumota — a sensory immersion in commerce. Lagos's real draw, though, is its culture. This is the global capital of Afrobeats, the genre that took Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido and Tems to the world, and the city's live shows, DJ scene and “Detty December” party season are legendary; it is also the home of Nollywood, the world's second-largest film industry by output. Contemporary art has exploded, anchored by the annual Art X Lagos fair and a wave of galleries, and the fashion, design and tech scenes pull in a young, creative crowd. The food is a highlight in its own right — Nigerian jollof rice, suya (spiced grilled meat), pepper soup and a fast-rising restaurant scene. The beaches and lagoon add the leisure side: boat trips to Tarkwa Bay, the sands of Elegushi and Lekki, and the resort islands offshore. Lagos is intense — the traffic (“go-slow”) is real and the city rewards a local contact or guide and some planning — but for travellers drawn to culture, music and urban energy, nowhere else in West Africa compares. The dry season, roughly November to March, is the most comfortable time, and December is peak for festivals and parties.

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Frequently asked questions

Cities in Lagos