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Coronation and Access Holdings have hosted members of Tate’s International Council and supporters of Tate’s global Acquisitions Committees at an exclusive dinner in Ikoyi, Lagos, hosted by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, Chairman, Access Holdings Plc and Coronation Group.
The gathering brought together leading figures from the international art community, government and Nigeria’s cultural sector, including Honourable Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy; His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State; senior representatives of Tate; and members of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments. The engagement provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships between Nigeria’s cultural institutions and the international art community, while highlighting the importance of African art, heritage and creative expression on the global stage.
Speaking at the dinner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede emphasised the relationship between cultural identity, economic prosperity and the development of globally competitive societies. He noted that culture provides a foundation for collective progress and should be recognised as an important dimension of capital. “Culture kind of anchors people. It provides them with so much foundation to do great things. And in Africa, and certainly in Nigeria, our culture is powerful. We need leaders in power who understand the cultural dimension of capital and who are ready to express it and use it,” he said.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu spoke about Lagos’s ambition to strengthen its position as a regional and global destination, with culture, technology, infrastructure and human capital forming important pillars of its development agenda. “Lagos today is the entertainment capital of Africa. Its fashion, its music, its arts, its movies, its food. Everything we believe Lagos can offer,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu also outlined the State’s long-term ambition to build a US$1 trillion economy by 2052 and establish Lagos as a global human capital centre, where its young and talented population can compete and contribute across industries. He stressed that investment in infrastructure must go hand in hand with creating opportunities for young people to develop their skills and participate in the global economy.
The Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, spoke to the importance of positioning Nigeria’s cultural heritage and creative industries within the global cultural landscape. Her remarks reflected the value of international partnerships in promoting Nigerian art, strengthening cultural exchange and creating greater opportunities for the country’s creative sector.
The engagement builds on the broader cultural partnership between Coronation, Access Holdings and Tate, including their support for the Nigerian Modernism exhibition at Tate Modern in London held from October 2025 to May 2026. The exhibition brought international attention to the development and influence of modern art in Nigeria, creating a platform for greater appreciation of Nigerian artists and their contributions to global art history.
The dinner also featured a curated display of selected photographs by renowned Nigerian photographer J. D. ’Okhai Ojeikere, whose celebrated photographic archive documents Nigeria’s cultural identity, particularly its hairstyles, traditions and social history. The display offered guests an opportunity to engage with an important body of Nigerian visual heritage and its enduring contribution to the country’s artistic legacy.
For Coronation and Access Holdings, the partnership reflects a broader commitment to supporting African creativity, cultural preservation and the development of platforms that connect local talent with international opportunities.
The gathering reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration between government, cultural institutions and the private sector in ensuring that African art and culture are not only celebrated internationally but also preserved, developed and recognised as enduring contributors to the continent’s prosperity.
