+234 Art Fair: Widening the frame of arts business

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Managing Director and Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Bolaji Lawal described the fair as a space where finance meets creativity, where boardrooms shake hands with brushstrokes, and where capital meets canvas, noting that inclusivity is not a buzzword, not a trend and definitely not just a word on a backdrop.

“Inclusivity means more doors open for young artists, more visibility for under represented voices. More access to markets and platforms. More conversations between art and enterprise

And yes… more collectors discovering that art appreciation can also appreciate in value,” he said.

Lawal, who was represented by the Head, SMEs, Partnerships & Collaborations, Ecobank PLc, Omoboye Odu spoke at an interactive session with the media on Wednesday. “But beyond the beauty—beyond the colours, the textures, and the conversations—this fair represents something bigger. Nigeria’s creative economy is not just vibrant. It is investable. It is scalable. It is employable. And it is exportable. And as Ecobank, we are intentional about supporting sectors that diversify our economy, empower young people, and create sustainable value, because art is culture. Art is identity.  But, when structured properly, art is also business—and creativity becomes a serious economic force,” he said, adding that ‘as a pan-African banking group, we recognise the transformative power of the creative sector. We are committed to providing platforms that enable African creatives, including visual artists, to access markets, visibility, and opportunities locally and internationally.’

Founder Soto Gallery and curator of the +234 Art Fair, Tola Akerele said the fair is more than an exhibition, but a movement to amplify Nigerian voices, celebrate our stories, and connect our artists to wider markets across Africa and beyond. “Inclusivity reflects our determination to widen representation and reshape visibility within the art space,” she noted.

President and CEO of AFC Samaila Zubairu said of the fair:

“Now in our third year of supporting the +234 Art Fair, AFC remains committed to championing platforms that unlock the commercial and cultural value of Africa’s creative industries. The Fair reflects the power of Africa’s young, dynamic talent to drive innovation, enterprise and global cultural influence. Through our continued collaboration with Ecobank and Soto Gallery, we are proud to support an ecosystem that enables African artists to scale their reach, retain value on the continent, and position African creativity as a globally competitive economic force.”

The curatorial process for this year’s edition involved curators travelling across Nigeria to explore, engage and document artistic practices beyond Lagos, with particular attention paid to artists working in Eastern and Northern regions of Nigeria. These journeys, according to the organisers, were essential in uncovering voices, practices, and perspectives often overlooked due to geography, limited infrastructure, or unequal access to platforms. By looking beyond the centre and towards the margins, the fair affirms that meaningful artistic production exists everywhere, not only where visibility is most concentrated.

Interestingly, inclusivity allows looking beyond the familiar, which is why curators invited emerging artists, unconventional practices, new audiences, and underrepresented narratives into the conversation. It reminds us that art does not belong to an exclusive few, but to all.

One of the outstanding installations at the fair is a special project titled Structure of Memory, a critically inspired installation by a Kaduna-based artist working under the pseudonym Bara. His practice engages questions of memory, materiality, and erasure, focusing on what is less seen through the reclamation of materials sourced from his hometown of Kaduna in Northern Nigeria.

The installation re-stages names of people, both real and imagined, incorporating stamps, numbers, codes, and markings that trace records of movement and forgotten histories. These elements reconstruct narratives of trade routes, exchange, and invisible labour, situating memory as both fragile and persistent.

Bara’s jute-inspired faces do not confront the viewer with terror. Instead, they invite audiences into a complex space that operates as both historical and material metaphor for lives affected by insecurity, displacement, and erasure. Here, sacks become walls, ceilings become memory, and personal and collective histories are woven together through material presence.

The +234 Art Fair has consolidated its position as one of Nigeria’s most influential cultural platforms, recording sustained growth across its 2024 and 2025 editions. Over 18,000 visitors attended across both years. Participating artists increased from 200 in 2024 to 260 in 2025, reflecting expanding reach within the creative community. More than 1,100 artworks were exhibited across multiple mediums. The Fair emerged as the number one trending topic on X (formerly Twitter) in both editions, underscoring its growing national visibility and cultural relevance.

Ecobank Nigeria has become one of the leading financial institutions supporting Nigeria’s creative economy. Its commitment aligns with the broader pan-African vision of the Ecobank Group to promote African art, culture, and enterprise across the continent.

The Bank consistently hosts flagship platforms including Adire Lagos, Oja Oge, the +234 Art Fair, the Lagos Pop-Up Museum, SME Bazaar, and the Design & Build Exhibition, providing prominent opportunities for small businesses and creatives to scale visibility and commercial value. The bank also operates EPAC Studios, a purpose-built creative space dedicated to telling authentic African stories across art, culture, lifestyle, and entertainment.