Nigeria’s art scene has evolved from a quiet niche into a vibrant national conversation, driven by a surge in creativity, investment, and global attention. Once limited to a few cultural centres, the country now boasts a thriving ecosystem where artists, collectors, and enthusiasts converge to celebrate and trade contemporary art.

According to recent industry data, there are about 2,004 registered art galleries across Nigeria as of October 2025, with Lagos and Ogun State leading the count at 453 and 260, respectively. Lagos alone accounts for roughly 22.6% of the country’s total.

The Nigerian art and crafts market itself was valued at $143.5 million in 2024 and is projected to reach $254 million by 2033.

This rapid expansion reflects a broader transformation in how Nigerian art is created, consumed, and valued. Commercial fairs are drawing international collectors, while a growing domestic market has placed the nation at the heart of West Africa’s art economy.

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Beyond their commercial value, these galleries serve as vital cultural institutions, spaces for exhibition, dialogue, and preservation that link artists to audiences and foster deeper appreciation for local creativity.

The presence of galleries in major cities has helped make art more accessible, offering spaces where culture, commerce, and community intersect.

Here are the top 10 art galleries in Nigeria based on the number of branches.   

LVI Art Gallery& Cultural Nexus – 1 branch 

LVI Art Gallery & Cultural Nexus, located at No. 6A Saheed Ola‑Adelekan Street, off General Emdin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, is a dynamic contemporary art space that blends gallery, cultural hub and creative services under one roof.

Founded by engineer‑turned‑art‑promoter Julius Iyoghiojie in 2019, the gallery has grown into a thriving platform for Nigerian visual artists, collectors and culture‑enthusiasts.

It is regularly described as a convergence of art, culture and tourism, offering exhibitions, residencies, printing and framing services, and even indoor cultural activities such as traditional board games.

One of its signature programmes is a live artistic production and exhibition event titled “The Hand That Creates The Masterpiece” in which emerging artists create works on-site during the show and immediately exhibit them for sale.

LVI also runs the TR Residency for artists under 30, providing accommodation, materials and mentorship.

Yusuf Grillo Museum – 1 branch

The Yusuf Grillo Museum, located in Ikeja, Lagos, is housed in the former studio and residence of the late master artist Yusuf Adebayo Cameron Grillo, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated modernist painters and educators.

Yusuf Grillo’s artistry is celebrated for its signature blue tones and the fusion of Yoruba traditional aesthetics with modernist techniques, which made him a defining figure in Nigeria’s post-independence art scene.

The museum’s exhibitions include Grillo’s paintings, stained glass works, preparatory sketches, maquettes of large-scale commissions, and collected works from his contemporaries. The studio also preserves photographs, personal notes, and archival materials that document his creative journey, providing a layered understanding of both the artist and his process.

Beyond his works, the studio was a hub for mentorship and artistic dialogue, hosting students, contemporaries, and emerging artists who sought guidance from Grillo during his tenure at Yaba College of Technology and as the founding president of the Society of Nigerian Artists.

OmenkaGallery – 1 branch 

Omenka Gallery, located in Ikoyi, Lagos, is one of Nigeria’s premier contemporary art galleries, showcasing both established and emerging Nigerian and international artists.

Founded in 2003 by Oliver Enwonwu, a respected curator and art administrator, the gallery continues the legacy of his father, Ben Enwonwu (1917–1994), one of Nigeria’s foremost modernist artists.

The gallery’s exhibition programme spans solo and group shows, presenting works across diverse media including paintings, sculptures, photography, and mixed media. The gallery creates a sustainable platform for Nigerian and African art within a global context, regularly participating in major international art events such as Art Dubai, The Armory Show (New York), Joburg Art Fair, Cape Town Art Fair, Cologne Paper Art, LOOP Barcelona, the London Art Fair, and 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London.

Beyond exhibitions, Omenka Gallery offers a comprehensive range of art advisory services, including appraisals, collection management, professional training, art finance, industry reports, and due diligence.

The gallery draws on over two decades of expertise managing a leading African gallery, consulting for other institutions, and engaging with international collectors and art markets.

Red Door Gallery – 1 branch

Red Door Gallery is a privately owned art gallery located in Victoria Island, Lagos. It has established itself as one of Nigeria’s leading spaces for contemporary art. Since its inception, the gallery has become a destination for collectors, art enthusiasts, and emerging artists seeking a platform for bold and innovative expression.

The gallery operates with a philosophy it calls “unpredictable art,” aiming to showcase works that surprise, challenge, and inspire. Its founder envisioned a space where creativity is unrestricted, blending large-scale paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media installations from both established and emerging Nigerian and international artists.

Beyond exhibitions, Red Door Gallery provides a full range of art services, including collector consulting, art valuation, authentication, restoration, provenance documentation, and private commissions. This makes the gallery not just a venue for display but a key resource for serious collectors and institutions.

YemisiShyllon Museum of Art – 1 branch 

The Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA), is located at Pan-Atlantic University in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. It stands as one of Nigeria’s most comprehensive repositories of visual culture. Opened in 2019, the museum was founded through the vision and generosity of Prince Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon, a renowned art collector who donated over 1,000 artworks and financial support for the facility’s construction and sustainability.

YSMA preserves a vast timeline of West African art from pre-colonial civilizations to modern and contemporary eras. Its permanent collection includes Nok terracottas found in Igbo-Ukwu and North Central Nigeria, Ife bronzes, and Benin sculptures dating as far back as the 14th and 16th centuries.

The museum also holds traditional African wooden sculptures by Lamidi Olonade Fakeye and Afikpo masks from Ebonyi State, alongside a collection of wood carvings and Ifa divination trays.

Visitors encounter works by legendary artists such as El Anatsui, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Uche Okeke, Ben Enwonwu, Akinola Lasekan, Aina Onabolu, Peju Alatise, and Victor Ehikhamenor.

Beyond its exhibitions, YSMA functions as a teaching and research hub, integrating art education with university learning and fostering global partnerships, such as its collaboration with the Toledo Museum of Art in the United States.

Henrimoweta African Art Centre – 2 branches 

Henrimoweta African Art Centre operates from Anthony Village in Ikeja and Victoria Island, Lagos, serving as a creative hub for artists, collectors, and cultural enthusiasts.

Over the years, it has become one of Nigeria’s respected spaces for artistic engagement, blending creativity, education, and heritage preservation.

The centre was founded by Henri Moweta, a veteran Nigerian artist born on June 1, 1960, in Jos, to a family from Delta State. His passion for art began early, leading him to study Fine Art at Auchi Polytechnic between 1982 and 1986, where he specialized in painting.

The gallery exhibits an extensive range of artwork including paintings, metal relief sculptures, fiberglass pieces, mixed-media works on wood, and installations. It features both emerging and established creators from across Nigeria, and represents the longstanding practice of experimentation in Nigerian art.

Beyond simply being a display venue, Henrimoweta serves as a cultural platform contributing to the educational and market dimensions of Nigerian art. Its archive houses thousands of pieces, offering collectors, researchers and art enthusiasts access to works that reflect Nigeria’s contemporary artistic evolution.

ReleArt Gallery – 3 branches 

Rele Art Gallery is one of Nigeria’s most forward-looking contemporary art institutions, founded in 2015 by Adenrele Sonariwo, a Nigerian curator who has become one of the most influential voices in Africa’s art scene.

The gallery began in Onikan, Lagos, before expanding internationally with new branches in Los Angeles and Mayfair, London, marking its presence across three major art capitals. The London space, a 3,000-square-foot gallery spread across two floors, opened as a major milestone in Rele’s mission to connect African art with a global audience.

Sonariwo’s journey into art began after she moved to the United States at age 15 for college, later returning to Nigeria to establish the first Rele Gallery. Drawing from her international exposure, she set out to create a space that would nurture young Nigerian artists while aligning with global exhibition standards. In 2016, she launched the Rele Arts Foundation, which introduced the Young Contemporaries Programme, a structured mentorship and exhibition platform for emerging artists

Each of its exhibitions, whether in Lagos, Los Angeles, or London, explores complex themes of identity, migration, and modern African life, often spotlighting new voices redefining African art’s global presence.

Today, Rele Art Gallery operates as both a commercial space and a cultural movement, connecting collectors, curators, and artists across continents

Thought Pyramid Art Centre – 4 branches

Thought Pyramid Art Centre (TPAC) is one of Nigeria’s most vibrant art institutions. Founded in 2007 by curator and gallerist Jeff Ajueshi.

The gallery began in Abuja, occupying two floors with large exhibition spaces, and has since expanded to three other locations, Lagos (Ikoyi), Benin City (GRA), and Oghara, Delta State.

Ajueshi, who was born in Benin City to a Benin mother and an Urhobo father, created the centre out of a deep passion for preserving and promoting African art. His journey started with the Abuja branch in 2007, followed by Lagos in 2017, and later Benin City in 2023, a milestone he describes as a homecoming that honours his cultural heritage.

The gallery displays a wide range of paintings, sculptures, installations, and mixed-media works, featuring both emerging and established African artists. It is best known for curating exhibitions that balance tradition with innovation and for its Undiscovered Series, a programme that spotlights young talents and connects them with broader audiences.

TPAC also runs initiatives that promote art education, creative research, and cultural exchange. It also partners with organisations like the Wiki Niger Delta Heritage Collective to train young Nigerians in visual storytelling and heritage documentation, reinforcing its role as both an art space and a centre for empowerment.

Nike Art Gallery- 4 branches

Nike Art Gallery began in 1983 in Oshogbo; today it has grown into one of West Africa’s largest and most influential art institutions. The gallery houses an impressive collection of more than 15,000 artworks created by over 5,000 artists from across Nigeria, making it a central hub for contemporary and traditional art.

The gallery was established by veteran textile artist and educator Chief Dr. Nike Davies-Okundaye, fondly known as Mama Nike. Her vision for a space that celebrates Nigerian creativity was inspired by a 1974 trip to the United States, where she observed how galleries could serve as vibrant community centres. Determined to replicate that model at home, she began building what would become one of Nigeria’s most recognisable art brands.

Mama Nike’s expansion reflects a lifetime commitment to art as empowerment. After opening her first art centre in Oshogbo, she went on to establish an Adire and Aso Oke textile workshop in Ogidi-Ijumu, Kogi State, in 1996, followed by the Nike Art and Culture Research Centre in Abuja in 2002. In 2009, she opened the five-storey flagship gallery in Lekki, Lagos, a space that showcases thousands of paintings, sculptures, and textiles under one roof.

Today, Nike Art Gallery is more than a display space — it is a cultural institution that drives education, economic empowerment, and national identity. Through the Nike Art Foundation, the gallery continues to train and mentor young artists, ensuring that indigenous techniques and creative traditions remain at the heart of Nigeria’s growing art economy.

National Gallery of Art – 25 branches  

The National Gallery of Art (NGA) is Nigeria’s foremost government institution dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the nation’s visual arts. The gallery operates under the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, with its headquarters in Abuja.

The NGA’s mandate covers the collection, documentation, and exhibition of Nigerian artworks, as well as the promotion of art education and research.

Beyond its Abuja headquarters, the gallery maintains 25 outstations across the country, including Lagos, Abia, Niger, Osun, Borno, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Sokoto, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Enugu, Benue, Plateau, Rivers, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Ogun, Kwara, Cross River, Zamfara, and the FCT. These regional offices help bring the NGA’s programmes closer to local communities, ensuring that art appreciation and engagement extend beyond urban centres.

Under the leadership of Director-General Ahmed Bashir Sodangi, the NGA has launched several initiatives to modernise Nigeria’s art infrastructure. These include the digitisation of the national art collection, artist certification programmes, and collaborations with international institutions focused on art preservation and exchange.

Through its growing network of state offices and nationwide exhibitions, the gallery continues to make Nigerian art accessible to people at all levels of society.