Few moments capture the extemporaneous energy of Lagos like when the city is in the midst of a celebration; even fewer events know how to capture the unique blend of unparalleled history, zest for commemoration, and sense of community that has made the coastal city one of Africa’s most prominent destinations. Except for its heralded Detty December slate, Lagos has not always had a full celebrations docket to power its reputation for the full year. That started to change with the arrival of HOMECOMING™ in Lagos in 2018, leading to the emergence of Easter weekend as a full-throttle holiday season accesorized with parties, events, and soirees.
Billed as a cultural exchange between the motherland and its diaspora, HOMECOMING™ Festival aims to foster communication and co-operation between diasporans looking to rekindle their relationship with the continent while elevating the work of talented operators and creative entrepreneurs in Africa for global expansion. Across a memorable seven-year journey, the scope of the relationship between the diaspora and home has been reimagined and recontextualised to belatedly acknowledge the need for increased co-operation rather than mutual suspicion. The 2025 edition of the HOMECOMING™ festival was the most detailed yet and included various activities geared at fostering education and impact.
Below, we run through the various activities that took place.
City Tour
Experiencing the pulse of the motherland has always been an integral part of the HOMECOMING™ experience, and the 2025 edition upped the ante with a series of guided tours that saw returning guests visit several art spaces, museums, and installations across the city. Visitors paid a visit to the JK Randle Centre for Yorùbá Culture & History in Onikan and Mobolaji Ogunrosoye’s studio, where they viewed the artist’s work at close quarters. Guests were also treated to a visit to the Nike Art Gallery, where traditional praise singers welcomed them before they had an extensive viewing of the iconic Lekki-based museum.
The Panels
One of the most anticipated parts of the HOMECOMING™ weekend is panel day. It’s a round-the-clock day of workshopping, networking, and insightful conversations that reveal points of connection between diasporans and Africans at home. HOMECOMING™ 2025 had several panels that were masterfully curated to spotlight the most cogent conversation of the day. There was a panel on brand identity and another one on archiving Nigeria’s musical history to ensure future preservation, a panel examining the participation of women in Nigeria’s entertainment scene, as well as another on the cultural responsibility of magazines and the processes that underpin all the work they do.
The Homecoming HiFi
HOMECOMING™ has long received praise for its innovative approach to organising parties and mixers for its audience base. In recognition of Lagos’ blossoming rave culture, HOMECOMING™ hosted a rave called HiFi, having a DJ roster that reflected the energy of the city. There were sets by DJs like Spinall, YANFFS, as well as showings by rave regulars like Son of Ubuntu and Aniko.
The Live Show
Ever since its first edition, the HOMECOMING™ live edition has always been the jewel in the festival’s crown. The 2025 edition of the festival was no exception as all roads led to Harbour Point in Victoria Island. True to form, the live show was a breathtaking spectacle that had all the live music, performances, and food that was needed to get things going. There were several performances by rising stars like Zaylevelten, Deela, and Deto Black. When the time came for Davido’s headline performance, everyone was dialled in for a set that captured the enduring power of the hitmaker’s stacked catalogue. By the time he called Odumodublvck on stage, everyone was hyped and ready to party into the night.
