By Onyeka Ezike

The third edition of the +234 Art Fair offered an immersive showcase of painting, photography, 3D digital art and sculpture.

Soto Gallery, the organiser of +234 Art Fair, has made inclusivity a cornerstone of the event, providing emerging artists with a platform to exhibit their work and engage with the wider art community.

The +234 code is a deliberate reference to Nigeria’s international dialling number, reflecting the fair’s mission to promote Nigerian artists and celebrate the originality and diversity of their practice. This year’s theme, “Inclusivity,” was inspired by the social ideals of possibility, perspective, and freedom. The 2026 edition featured 1,100 artworks by more than 400 participating artists, and was held at the Ecobank Headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos.

In an interview with the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, National Theatre and Founder of +234 Art Fair and Soto Gallery, Tola Akerele, described the fair’s central purpose: creating meaningful opportunities for emerging artists who, despite their talent, often lack access to established platforms. “I was in Nsukka one day, rushing to the airport, when a friend urged me to stop and see an artwork. She insisted I meet an artist, a lecturer who was also creating remarkable work. I was blown away. In Nigeria, there are so many gifted artists, but they do not always have a platform to reach an audience, which +234 Art Fair is a way for people to discover their work and engage with it directly.”

Akerele explained that the theme of inclusivity was developed through extensive research at the national level. Over 33 days, she and her team travelled across 17 Nigerian states, including the northern region, in search of emerging artists whose work had yet to receive wider recognition, while simultaneously documenting their practice.

“We know that we issue a public call every year, but not everyone will necessarily encounter that call,” she noted, underscoring the need to reach artists beyond the usual networks.

The Art Fair was organised into four categories: digital art, two-dimensional art, fine art, sculpture and photography. The photography section drew particular attention this year, reflecting a notable increase in participating artists. In total, the third edition received more than 1,500 submissions; because the exhibition was curated, only the strongest works were selected for display.

Akerele also connected the theme of inclusivity to the International Women’s Celebration Forum, framing it as an opportunity to reshape perceptions of women’s roles in the art industry.

“In the Nigerian art market, we find that many women artists step back after some time, perhaps after marriage, and the support structures simply are not there for them. We want to actively explore how we can do more to sustain female artists in their careers,” she said. The exhibition also featured a dedicated children’s arts gallery and a digital art room where guests could view works on immersive digital screens, adding a distinctive and interactive dimension to this year’s edition.

The fair has swiftly established itself as a premier cultural platform. Across its first two editions in 2024 and 2025, the event attracted more than 18,000 visitors and presented over 1,100 artworks. Artist participation has grown steadily, rising from 200 in 2024 to 260 in 2025.

The third edition was held in partnership with Ecobank Nigeria, the African Finance Corporation (AFC), and the Museum of West African Arts, three institutions united by the conviction that African creativity deserves robust institutional support, global visibility, and sustained long-term investment. True to its founding mission, the fair remains dedicated to championing young and underrepresented artists, and to challenging the structural barriers within contemporary Nigerian art that have historically limited artists’ access to collective participation, market opportunities, and broader audiences.

Speaking at the event, Ahmed Bashir Sodangi, Director-General of the National Gallery of Arts, articulated a shared vision for the sector: “We are working to create structured platforms that connect artists to collectors, institutions, and new audiences. A sustainable career must be underpinned by a viable market. Visibility alone, without access to buyers and structured engagement, cannot build generational success.

Our goal at the NGA is straightforward but ambitious: to build an ecosystem in which Nigerian artists are not only discovered, but supported, protected, documented, and positioned to thrive over the long term.”

Eyimofe Ideh, Curator of +234 Art Fair, elaborated on the rationale behind the theme. “In previous editions, submissions came predominantly from artists in neighbouring states. This year, we made a deliberate decision to go nationwide, travelling across 17 states from the north, east, south, and west,” she explained. “Many of the artists we visited shared the challenges they face. We also tried to offer practical support, including sponsoring the transportation of their works to Lagos, and I think that helped to build trust with communities that had not previously engaged with the fair.”

The Free-entry exhibition showcased a diverse range of mediums, including painting, photography, sculpture, digital art, and children’s art. The 2026 programme is designed to be a “Melting pot” of artistic expression, featuring curated exhibitions of emerging and established talents; masterclasses and workshops for skills development; panel sessions connecting the worlds of finance and the arts; live art installations; high-level networking sessions; and specialized areas including a children’s creative zone, a collectors’ lounge, and curated culinary experiences.

The Project Manager Joanna Oyefeso expressed her joy over the fair, she said, “It wasn’t easy managing the project, from the curators down to the artist we wanted to ensure that everything went as planned. The team travelled to various part of the countries to engage with the artist and discover their works.

Some of them are new entries, while some are exhibiting for the second time. The project will be a huge success if every artist here get all there works sold out, at least one of their works must be sold in this year’s edition.” she said.