Aké Arts and Book Festival Runs in Lagos 19 to 21 November

NIGERIA · BOOK FESTIVAL 2026

Nigeria’s Aké Arts and Book Festival returns to Lagos for a 14th edition, with US-linked writers on its guest list.

The Aké Arts and Book Festival returns to Lagos for its 14th edition, from Thursday, 19 November, to Saturday, 21 November 2026. The Aké Festival takes place at the Silkwood Hotel Ikeja, a short drive from the city’s main international airport.

Tickets cost ₦20,000 (about US$15) online and cover every festival event, according to the organisers, the Book Buzz Foundation. For American visitors, the draw includes Marvel comics writer Nnedi Okorafor and Nigerian-American filmmaker Roye Okupe, both on the 2026 guest list.

What the Aké Festival Is

The festival is run by the Book Buzz Foundation, a non-profit founded in 2012 to promote literacy and reading. Its board of trustees includes Lola Shoneyin, whom the literary site Brittle Paper describes as the festival’s founder.

The festival says it has brought together more than 1,000 writers, poets, musicians, filmmakers and artists since it began. Brittle Paper, an African literary magazine, calls it “Nigeria’s most beloved literary gathering.”

Over three days, the programme mixes panel discussions, book chats, poetry and music, the organisers say. Brittle Paper reported the November dates in April, when speakers and ticketing were still to be announced.

A Theme About Artificial Intelligence

The 2026 theme is Native Intelligence, which the organisers frame as a question about artificial intelligence and older ways of knowing. Their statement opens with the line “Long before the algorithm, there was the elder and the proverb.”

It argues that, across Africa, artificial intelligence is reshaping how stories are told, elections fought and truth reported. The question it poses is whose intelligence the future will be built on.

Who Is on the 2026 Guest List

The festival’s guest page lists more than 40 writers and artists under the heading Festival Guests 2026. Its programme page says the schedule is still in development and will be announced soon.

Nnedi Okorafor is the author of the Binti trilogy and of Marvel’s Black Panther: Long Live the King, Shuri and Wakanda Forever. Her festival profile lists Nebula, World Fantasy, Eisner and multiple Hugo awards among her honours.

Roye Okupe, a Nigerian-American filmmaker, created IYANU, an animated franchise streaming on HBO Max and Cartoon Network, his profile says. In 2021 he signed a 10-book publishing deal with Dark Horse Comics.

Chika Unigwe, born and raised in the Nigerian city of Enugu, is an associate professor at Georgia College in Milledgeville, Georgia. She founded the Awele Creative Trust, according to the festival.

Also listed is Wole Talabi, whose Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon was nominated for Nebula, Locus and World Fantasy awards. Nigerian British author Irenosen Okojie, winner of the 2020 AKO Caine Prize, is on the list too.

The list also includes Wanjiru Koinange, a novelist from Nairobi, and Lagos-based author A. Igoni Barrett.

Tickets and Prices

The standard Aké Festival ticket costs ₦20,000 (about US$15) and has been on sale since Tuesday, 1 September. It includes the festival guide, the 2026 edition of the Aké Review, an ID card with lanyard and access to all events.

A venue ticket, sold at the door from Thursday, 19 November, costs ₦25,000 (about US$19) for the same package. A Green Room pass at ₦200,000 (about US$150) adds meals, refreshments and wi-fi, but is marked “available soon,” with ten places.

Tickets are sold through a Book Buzz Foundation page on Paystack, an online payments service, linked from the festival website. The payment page comes preset at ₦20,000 (about US$15), the online ticket price.

Conversions use the Central Bank of Nigeria’s central rate for Wednesday, 7 October, of ₦1,331.27 to US$1. Buy only through the festival’s own link, not through resellers or social media offers.

The Venue and How to Get There

The Silkwood Hotel Ikeja stands at 261 Sobo Arobiodu Street in Ikeja GRA, a residential district on the Lagos mainland. The organisers say Ikeja GRA is twelve minutes from Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

The airport, code LOS, lies in Ikeja itself, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria calls it the nation’s busiest. Delta Air Lines sells flights to Lagos on its US website.

The festival’s hotel page, last updated in August 2025, lists Ikeja GRA rooms with breakfast included. Its cheapest listed rate is ₦60,000 (about US$45) a night, at the Classio Hotel by House J.

The Ivy Emerald Hotel was listed from ₦95,000 (about US$71) a night. The Radisson Blu Hotel Ikeja was listed from ₦400,000 (about US$300).

For getting around, the State Department says app-based ride-shares are viewed as safer than traditional taxis, because drivers register with the company. It also urges extreme caution when driving between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Entry Rules for US Citizens

US citizens need a visa for Nigeria and must apply before they travel, according to the State Department. The Nigeria Immigration Service website offers online applications for both an e-Visa and a regular visa.

Passports must be valid for six months beyond the arrival date, with a blank page for each stamp. All travellers older than nine months must show yellow fever and polio vaccination certificates on arrival.

Cash above US$10,000 must be declared on entry and on exit. Dual US and Nigerian citizens now need a valid Nigerian passport to leave Nigeria, the department says.

Safety in Lagos

The State Department rates Nigeria Level 3, Reconsider Travel, in an advisory issued on Friday, 12 June 2026. It warns that violent crime, including armed robbery, carjacking and kidnapping, is common throughout the country.

Lagos is not among the states rated Level 4, Do Not Travel. The advisory says kidnappings for ransom happen often and primarily target dual nationals visiting Nigeria, which matters for Nigerian-American visitors.

The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to citizens outside Abuja and Lagos, the advisory adds. It recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which sends embassy alerts.

The US Consulate General in Lagos is at 2 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island. Its main and after-hours number is +234-201-460-3400.

Also in Lagos in November

Visitors planning a longer stay can also time a trip around ART X Lagos, an international art fair. Its website gives dates of Thursday, 5 November, to Sunday, 8 November, but lists no venue or tickets yet.

What It Means for You

For the Aké Festival, the online ticket at ₦20,000 (about US$15) is the cheaper way in and covers all events. Apply for a Nigerian visa early, because it must be issued before you fly.

Staying in Ikeja GRA keeps you close to the airport and the venue, but confirm current hotel rates directly. Ride-share apps are viewed as safer than street taxis, the State Department says.

Wait for the programme before booking around one author, since session times are not yet published. Nigerian-American dual nationals should carry a valid Nigerian passport so they can leave the country.

What Is Not Known

The daily programme, session times and opening hours have not been published, and the organisers say they will be announced soon. It is not known which guests will appear on which day.

The ticket page does not say whether US-issued cards are accepted, or whether tickets can be refunded. The Green Room pass is not yet on sale, and its release date is not given.

The festival’s hotel list dates from 2025, before the 2026 venue was announced, so rates and distances may differ.

What Comes Next

The organisers say the 2026 programme will be announced soon. Door tickets go on sale at the venue on Thursday, 19 November, and the festival closes on Saturday, 21 November.

A name on the guest page is not a confirmed session. Check the programme for a named appearance before travelling to see one writer.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is the Aké Festival 2026?

The Aké Arts and Book Festival runs from Thursday, 19 November, to Saturday, 21 November 2026. It takes place at the Silkwood Hotel Ikeja, 261 Sobo Arobiodu Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

How much do Aké Festival tickets cost?

An online ticket costs ₦20,000 (about US$15), and a ticket at the door costs ₦25,000 (about US$19). Both include access to all 2026 festival events, according to the organisers.

Do US citizens need a visa to visit Nigeria?

Yes. The State Department says US citizens need a visa before travelling, and passports must be valid for six months beyond arrival.

Sources: Aké Arts & Book Festival, home page; Aké Festival, registration and ticket prices; Book Buzz Foundation, Aké Festival Registration 2026 payment page (Paystack); Aké Festival, venue; Aké Festival, where to stay; Aké Festival, 2026 guests; Aké Festival, programme; Aké Festival, 2026 theme; Aké Festival, about; Guest profile, Nnedi Okorafor; Guest profile, Roye Okupe; Guest profile, Chika Unigwe; Guest profile, Wole Talabi; Guest profile, Irenosen Okojie; Guest profile, Wanjiru Koinange; Guest profile, A. Igoni Barrett; Brittle Paper, 14th edition dates (24 April 2026); Brittle Paper, Book Buzz Foundation (30 September 2026); Central Bank of Nigeria, exchange rates; US State Department, Nigeria travel advisory; US State Department, Nigeria country information; Nigeria Immigration Service; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammed International Airport; Delta Air Lines, flights to Lagos; ART X Lagos (all accessed 8 October 2026).

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