Lagos Fashion Week Runs 28 October to 1 November 2026
EXPATS & NOMADS · LAGOS
Key Facts
- —Date Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, five days (dates announced by the organiser)
- —Venue Not yet published by the organiser. The Guardian Nigeria lists the Federal Palace Hotel, 6-8 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, which hosted the 2025 edition; unconfirmed until the organiser announces it
- —Tickets No public ticket sale announced yet. Follow lagosfashionweek.ng and the organiser’s social channels; press accreditation for 2026 is open on the official site
- —Prices Not yet published
- —For US visitors A Nigerian visa is required before travel (check the current fee on the immigration service portal); Lagos is five hours ahead of New York until US clocks change on 1 November
Africa’s best-known fashion week returns to Lagos at the end of October. The dates are fixed; the venue, schedule and public access are still to come.
Lagos Fashion Week 2026 runs from Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November, the organiser confirmed in a save-the-date notice in June. Five days of runway shows, presentations, an exhibition and industry talks will bring designers, buyers, editors and a large street-style crowd to Nigeria’s commercial capital, about a week before the city’s other big fashion date, the GTCO Fashion Weekend.
For a visitor from the United States the event is a good reason to see Lagos outside the crowded and expensive December season. But it needs planning: Americans must obtain a Nigerian e-Visa in advance, the State Department rates Nigeria at Level 3, “reconsider travel”, and as of 5 October the organiser had not yet published the venue, the designer line-up or how members of the public can get in.
What Lagos Fashion Week Is and Why It Matters
Lagos Fashion Week was founded in 2011 by Omoyemi Akerele and has grown into the main commercial showcase for designers from Nigeria and the wider continent. The organiser describes it as a year-round platform that brings together designers, manufacturers, retailers, buyers, investors, media and policymakers, with the October week as its public peak.
The week is known for more than runway shows. Its Green Access programme supports young labels working with recycled or responsibly sourced materials, and its Fashion Business Series of talks focuses on how African brands can sell abroad and build lasting companies. The organiser’s website lists Lagos Fashion Week as a 2025 winner of the Earthshot Prize in the “Build a Waste-Free World” category, which brought it new international attention.
The 2025 edition ran from 29 October to 2 November at the Federal Palace Hotel on Victoria Island under the theme “In Full Bloom”, and marked the platform’s 15th year. The official 2025 schedule gives a sense of the format: an exhibition that opened at 10 a.m. each day, afternoon talks, and runway shows running into the evening, followed by after-parties. Labels shown in 2025 included Maxjenny, Desiree Iyama, Adama Paris, Imad Eduso, Hertunba and Wote, alongside Green Access designers.
For 2026 the designer list has not been released.
The Venue and How to Get There
The organiser had not named the 2026 venue on its website by 5 October. The Guardian Nigeria, in a September guide to the season’s fashion events, lists the Federal Palace Hotel at 6-8 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, the same hotel that hosted the 2025 edition. The organiser has not confirmed this, so treat the venue as unconfirmed until it does.
Victoria Island is the city’s business and hotel district, on the Atlantic side of the lagoon. International flights land at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, on the mainland, and the drive to Victoria Island can take well over an hour in evening traffic. Most visitors use a hotel car or a ride-hailing app rather than public buses. If the event stays on Victoria Island, staying on the island itself or in neighbouring Ikoyi will save a great deal of time in traffic between shows.
Shows typically run late into the evening. Plan the trip back to the hotel before the last show ends, and keep to cars booked through an app or the hotel rather than hailing one in the street.
Tips for US and Foreign Visitors
Visa. US citizens need a visa for Nigeria. Since 1 May 2025 short visits have been handled through the Nigeria Immigration Service e-Visa system, which replaced visa on arrival. The immigration service describes the tourism visa as single-entry for up to 30 days and asks for a passport, a return ticket, evidence of accommodation and a bank statement. The fee is paid online at the end of the application. Check the current fee on the immigration service portal before applying. The State Department adds that passports must be valid for six months beyond arrival. Apply several weeks ahead and carry a printout of the approval.
Safety. The US State Department’s travel advisory for Nigeria, issued on 12 June 2026, is Level 3, “reconsider travel”, citing crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping and limited health care. Lagos State is not on its list of “do not travel” states, but the advisory notes that Americans are often seen as wealthy targets. Keep a low profile with jewellery and phones, use booked transport, and register with the State Department’s STEP programme.
Health. The advisory says Nigeria is high risk for malaria and recommends that all visitors take antimalarial medication, bring enough prescription medicine for the whole stay and buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation. The State Department lists yellow fever and polio vaccinations as required for entry, so see a travel clinic well before departure.
Money and time. Nigeria uses the naira, worth about 1,330 to the US dollar at the 2 October rate. Cards work in larger hotels and restaurants, but cash and bank transfers are common elsewhere. Lagos runs on West Africa Time, five hours ahead of New York until US clocks go back on Sunday 1 November, the final day of the event, and six hours ahead after that.
Clothes. Late October falls near the end of the rainy season in Lagos, so expect heat, humidity and the chance of heavy showers. Street style is a big part of the week, and many attendees plan outfits for each day.
If you want to stay on, the city’s year-end season follows soon after. See our Detty December 2026: Lagos and Accra Events, Dates, Costs and Travel Guide, and for the week before the shows, Felabration Lagos: Fela Kuti’s Birthday Week Is Set for 12-18 October at the Afrika Shrine.
What Is Not Confirmed Yet
As of Monday 5 October, the organiser had confirmed only the dates. The venue, the daily schedule, the designer line-up and the 2026 theme had not been published on the official website. Neither had any public ticket sale or registration for runway shows. The Guardian Nigeria says the public can attend ticketed runway shows and open exhibitions, while industry professionals, buyers and press typically get priority access to the business programme. Prices for any public passes are therefore not known, and third-party sites quoting ticket prices for 2026 should be treated with caution. Press accreditation for 2026 is open through the official site.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Lagos Fashion Week 2026?
Lagos Fashion Week 2026 runs for five days, from Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria. The organiser announced the dates in a save-the-date notice in June. The full show schedule and designer line-up had not been published by 5 October.
Where is Lagos Fashion Week 2026 held?
The organiser has not yet published the 2026 venue. The Guardian Nigeria lists the Federal Palace Hotel at 6-8 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, which also hosted the 2025 edition. Confirm the venue on the official Lagos Fashion Week website and social channels before booking a hotel.
Do Americans need a visa for Lagos Fashion Week?
Yes. US citizens need a Nigerian visa. Since May 2025 short visits are handled through the Nigeria Immigration Service e-Visa system, and visa on arrival is no longer issued. The tourism e-Visa is single-entry for up to 30 days and needs a return ticket, proof of accommodation and a bank statement.
Sources: Lagos Fashion Week, save-the-date notice for 2026 (June 2026), official website, about page, 2025 season and 2025 event schedule; The Guardian Nigeria, “Upcoming fashion shows” (26 September 2026); BellaNaija Style, ConnectNigeria and BusinessDay on the 2026 dates and the 2025 edition; Nigeria Immigration Service, visa classes and e-Visa implementation notice; Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, visa page; US Department of State, Nigeria travel advisory (12 June 2026) and country information page.
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