Connecting the Continent Through Art

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Nigeria occupies a singular position within the African art ecosystem. It is one of the continent’s most dynamic cultural centres, producing artists, curators and thinkers whose influence resonates far beyond its borders. From Lagos to Abuja, the energy of the Nigerian art scene has helped shape global conversations around contemporary African practice. For a platform like RMB Latitudes Art Fair, which is committed to strengthening connections across the continent, a focused engagement with Nigeria is both natural and necessary.

Nigeria Focus recognises the extraordinary depth of artistic production emerging from the country while also acknowledging that meaningful exchange across African regions still requires intentional infrastructure. Despite the strength of Nigeria’s art community, opportunities for sustained collaboration between West and Southern African practitioners remain relatively limited. By placing Nigeria at the centre of this year’s programme, RMB Latitudes Art Fair aims to strengthen these connections, creating new pathways for dialogue, visibility and exchange.

The programme begins with an exhibition in Lagos this April, presenting the work of selected Nigerian artists within their local context and audience. The exhibition will then travel to Johannesburg, where it will be presented at RMB Latitudes Art Fair in May, introducing these artists to the fair’s broader network of collectors, curators and galleries from across Africa and beyond.

Nigeria Focus has been co-curated by Ugonna Ibe, founder of the Lagos-based Yenwa Gallery, and Boitumelo Makousu, curator at Latitudes. Bringing together curatorial perspectives from West and Southern Africa, their collaboration ensures that the programme is grounded both in the realities of Nigeria’s vibrant art ecosystem and in a broader continental outlook.

At its heart, Nigeria Focus is about recognition and reciprocity. It acknowledges the cultural leadership Nigeria already holds while creating space for new relationships to form across the continent. By bringing these voices into conversation with the wider Latitudes community, the programme contributes to a more connected and collaborative African art landscape.