Flytime Fest Lagos Runs 22 to 24 December 2026
NIGERIA · LIVE MUSIC
Key Facts
- —When it happens Flytime Fest Lagos runs for three nights, from Tuesday 22 to Thursday 24 December 2026, ending on Christmas Eve.
- —Where to go All three nights take place at the Eko Convention Centre in Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
- —How to buy The organiser sells tickets only on the Cene platform at cene.xyz, night by night, with no multi-day pass.
- —What it costs Prices for 2026 have not been published, and every sale is final, with no refunds or date changes.
- —What it means for you US citizens need a Nigerian visa before flying; the online e-Visa covers single-entry tourist trips of 30 days.
- —The catch No headliners or start times have been announced, so a trip booked now is a bet on the line-up.
Flytime Fest Lagos, a fixture of Nigeria’s December party season, returns from Tuesday 22 to Thursday 24 December 2026. For Nigerian-American families flying home for the holidays, it means three big concert nights before Christmas.
The organiser, Flytime, has confirmed the dates and the venue, the Eko Convention Centre on Victoria Island. The 2026 line-up and ticket prices have not been announced.
What Flytime Fest Is and Why It Matters
Flytime Fest Lagos is an indoor concert series held every December in Nigeria’s commercial capital. Each night has its own line-up, and the organiser calls it Nigeria’s first and longest-running indoor multi-day festival.
Flytime’s founder and chief executive, Cecil Hammond, says the company started in 2004. Flytime Fest grew out of its older Rhythm Unplugged concerts and launched in 2017.
The organiser says more than 300 African artists have played Flytime stages. Its 2025 edition ran for four nights, from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 December.
Flavour, Olamide, Asake and Davido headlined one night each in 2025, according to Flytime’s announcement that month. This year’s edition is one night shorter and ends on Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December.
The festival is part of Detty December, the holiday season in Nigeria and Ghana when people from the diaspora come home. Concerts, beach parties and markets fill the calendar, sometimes into early January, OkayAfrica reported in December 2025.
For a Nigerian-American family, the festival can anchor the whole trip. Land before Tuesday 22 December, and Christmas Day itself stays free for relatives.
The Venue: Eko Convention Centre on Victoria Island
All three nights take place at the Eko Convention Centre, part of Eko Hotel & Suites. The address is Plot 1415 Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The hotel says it sits in the heart of Victoria Island, overlooking the new Eko Atlantic City and the Atlantic Ocean. It puts the drive to the city centre at about 10 minutes.
International flights land at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja. The hotel puts the drive from the airport at about 45 minutes, so allow extra time in holiday traffic.
Taxis pick up and drop off at the hotel lobby, and signs lead from the entrance to the hall. Drivers can use a marked parking zone near the festival grounds.
The festival is cashless and takes debit and credit cards. There is no ATM on site, but the organiser says the nearest one is a two-minute walk away.
Food and drink are sold only at the Fly Village, the festival’s own market, and you cannot bring your own. Firearms, knives and professional cameras with detachable lenses are banned.
The organiser sets the minimum age at 13, and children under 16 must come with a parent or guardian. Accessible seating is available with VIP and VVIP table tickets.
To arrange it, buy your ticket first, then email [email protected] with the subject ‘Accessible Seating’. The organiser warns that accessible places are limited for each night.
How Flytime Fest Tickets Work
Flytime Fest Lagos tickets are sold only on Cene, a ticketing platform at cene.xyz, and not at the door. The organiser says it cannot vouch for tickets bought through other resale services.
There is no multi-day pass, so each night is a separate purchase. Each ticket is tied to a name and an email address and arrives by email as a QR code.
You cannot share a ticket or switch nights after buying, and all sales are final. Payment plans are not available.
The festival homepage says 2026 tickets are on sale now, but no prices have been published for any night. Its tickets page says bookings are open and points buyers to Cene’s concierge desk at [email protected].
There are no physical tickets, so keep the confirmation email safe. If a ticket does not arrive, email [email protected] with the subject ‘Ticket Issue’.
Tips for US and Foreign Visitors
US citizens need a visa for Nigeria and must get it before they travel, the US State Department says. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date.
The Nigeria Immigration Service handles holiday trips through its online e-Visa portal. Its tourism visa is single-entry, lasts 30 days and cannot be extended.
You need a valid passport, a return ticket, proof of where you are staying and a bank statement showing enough money. Fees are normally paid online by card.
The approval letter arrives by email with a QR code. Print it and show it to immigration officers on arrival.
Americans who are Nigerian by birth or parentage have their own short-visit visa class for travel on a foreign passport. It allows stays of up to 30 days, and you must show proof of Nigerian birth or parentage.
Longer stays fall under separate rules, set out in Nigeria’s visa and residency guide. Travellers older than nine months must show yellow fever and polio vaccination certificates on arrival, the State Department says.
On safety, the State Department rates Nigeria at Level 3, ‘Reconsider travel’, in an advisory dated Friday 12 June 2026. It cites crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping and uneven access to health care.
Lagos State is not among the areas on the department’s Level 4 ‘Do not travel’ list. The advisory tells visitors to avoid buses and motorbikes anywhere in Nigeria.
It says ride-share apps are widely used in Lagos and are generally safer than traditional taxis. GPS tracking and driver checks make each trip easier to trace.
At about 1,331 naira to the US dollar on Tuesday 6 October 2026, 100,000 naira (US$75) is a handy benchmark. All conversions in this guide use that rate.
December prices climb across the city. OkayAfrica quoted a Lagos resident in December 2025 who paid 10,200 naira (about US$8) for one ride-hailing trip between two Lagos neighbourhoods.
Lagos runs on West Africa Time, six hours ahead of New York in December. No finishing times have been published, so arrange your ride home before the night starts.
What Is Not Confirmed Yet
The organiser has not named the 2026 headliners for Flytime Fest Lagos. Its FAQ says only that they ‘will be announced soon’.
Ticket prices, door times and start times for each night are also still to come. In 2025, each of the four nights had its own headline act.
If you are planning a trip around one artist, keep flights and hotel bookings flexible until the line-up is out. Tickets cannot be refunded, so wait for the name before you buy.
None of this changes the basics of Flytime Fest Lagos. The dates, the venue and the single official seller are set, and those are what you need to start planning.
More: Nigeria news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Flytime Fest Lagos 2026?
Flytime Fest Lagos runs from Tuesday 22 to Thursday 24 December 2026. All three nights are at the Eko Convention Centre in Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island.
Where can I buy Flytime Fest tickets?
The organiser sells tickets only on Cene, at cene.xyz. There is no multi-day pass, no sale at the venue and no refund once you buy.
Do US citizens need a visa to visit Nigeria?
Yes. You must get a visa before you travel, and Nigeria’s online e-Visa offers a single-entry tourism visa for up to 30 days.
Sources: Flytime Fest, FAQs (organiser), 6 October 2026; Flytime Fest, homepage (organiser), 6 October 2026; Flytime Fest, Getting Here (organiser), 21 January 2026; Cene, official ticket seller, 6 October 2026; Eko Hotels & Suites (venue), 6 October 2026; Nigeria Immigration Service, visa classes, 6 October 2026; US State Department, Nigeria travel advisory, 12 June 2026; US State Department, Nigeria country information, 6 October 2026; BusinessDay, Flytime announces slate of December events, 19 December 2025; OkayAfrica, Detty December 2025, 9 December 2025.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief