Art X Lagos 2026: Zenith Bank boosts commitment to Africa's Creative Economy

Zenith Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Nigeria's creative and cultural landscape through its continued sponsorship of ART X Lagos 2026, taking place from November 5-8, 2026, at Federal Palace, Lagos.

Building on its support for the fair's landmark tenth-anniversary edition in 2025, the Bank returns as a Silver Sponsor for the 11th edition, reinforcing its commitment to platforms that celebrate African artistic excellence, preserve cultural heritage and create opportunities for emerging creative talent.

Founded by Tokini Peterside-Schwebig in 2016, ART X Lagos is a leading international cultural platform dedicated to showcasing contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. Through its multidisciplinary programming, the fair has become an important platform for connecting artists, galleries, collectors and cultural institutions while promoting African creativity on the global stage. Since its inception, ART X Lagos has brought together artists and galleries from over 70 countries, welcoming participants from 170 nations worldwide.

The 11th edition of ART X Lagos will hold under the theme: A New Chapter, A New Decade, reflecting on the artists, architects, educators and thinkers who shaped modernism in Nigeria. The theme explores how cultural inheritance can inspire new forms of artistic expression and possibilities for the future.

Through its sponsorship, Zenith Bank supports the continued growth of ART X Lagos as an international platform for artistic exchange, cultural preservation and creative enterprise, strengthening connections across Africa's creative ecosystem and fostering opportunities for growth and collaboration.

As part of its broader sponsorship of ART X Lagos 2026, Zenith Bank will support two key programmes: ART X ICON and The Masterclass. While ART X ICON celebrates the achievements and enduring contributions of Nigeria's artistic pioneers, The Masterclass creates opportunities for emerging creatives to learn, engage and develop their practice.

In this 11th edition, the focus of ART X ICON is turned to pioneering Nigerian potter Ladi Dosei Kwali (1925–1984) with Ladi Kwali: Beyond the Vessel, conceived and developed by curator Dr. Jareh Das.

Widely recognised as the face on Nigeria's 20-naira note, Ladi Kwali is celebrated for her extraordinary contribution to Nigerian ceramics and her role in bringing traditional Nigerian pottery to international prominence. Drawing on generations of indigenous pottery knowledge, she developed a distinctive artistic practice that earned her international recognition.

Bringing together ceramics and archival materials from the National Museum in Lagos, alongside works from private lenders, Ladi Kwali: Beyond the Vessel offers a deeper exploration of the artist's life, practice and enduring influence.

The exhibition will also feature works by women potters who worked alongside and after Kwali, including Kande Ushafa and Asibi Ido, as well as traditional pottery by Gbari, Nupe and Bida potters. Together, these works illuminate the artistic traditions Kwali inherited, the innovations she introduced, and the knowledge carried forward by subsequent generations.

Complementing ART X ICON, The Masterclass will place emerging artists in dialogue with Ladi Kwali's legacy, creating an opportunity to explore the relationship between traditional artistic knowledge and contemporary creative practice.

The programme will select 10 emerging artists from across disciplines including painting, sculpture, photography, film, textiles, digital practice, performance and ceramics, providing opportunities for intimate conversations and meaningful engagement with established creative practitioners.

Speaking on the partnership, Adaora Umeoji, Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, commented:

"At Zenith Bank, we recognise that the growth of the creative economy requires both the preservation of our cultural heritage and sustained investment in the talents shaping its future. Our continued partnership with ART X Lagos reflects our belief in the importance of supporting platforms that celebrate African artistic excellence, strengthen cultural institutions and create opportunities for emerging creatives. We remain committed to supporting initiatives that unlock the economic and cultural value of Nigeria's creative industry and enable African creativity to gain even greater recognition on the global stage."

Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, Founder and Director of ART X Lagos, said:

"As ART X Lagos enters its second decade, we are immensely grateful for the continued partnership of sponsors such as Zenith Bank, whose support reflects a shared commitment to advancing Nigeria's creative and cultural landscape. Partnerships like this are instrumental in sustaining our vision, deepening our impact and creating lasting opportunities for African creativity to thrive on a global scale."

Beyond ART X ICON and The Masterclass, ART X Lagos 2026 will feature 15 exhibitors across its Main and Spotlight sections, alongside a diverse programme of Special Projects, including Ndidi Dike's Residues of Past Encounters: 2024–2026, The ART X Library and Speakers' Corner.

The fair's wider multidisciplinary programme will also feature ART X Cinema, ART X Live!, ART X Talks, Art Across Borders and the Schools' Programme, celebrating the breadth and diversity of contemporary creativity from Africa and its diaspora.

ART X Lagos 2026 takes place from 5–8 November 2026 at Federal Palace, Victoria Island, Lagos.

 About Zenith Bank Plc

Zenith Bank Plc is a multinational financial services institution headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. Founded in 1990 by Jim Ovia, it is one of Africa's foremost financial institutions with a shareholders' fund of ₦4.92 trillion (2025) and a footprint spanning Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, the UK, France, UAE and China.

The Bank has built a reputation for innovation, customer-centricity and excellence in financial services. It offers comprehensive retail, commercial and corporate banking solutions, supported by advanced digital platforms and an extensive physical network.

Zenith Bank drives financial inclusion and sustainable development while maintaining strong corporate governance and financial performance. With a clear focus on People, Technology and Service, the Bank is committed to creating value for customers, stakeholders and the wider economy.

About ART X Lagos

ART X Lagos, the leading international art fair in West Africa, was founded by Tokini Peterside-Schwebig in 2016 to celebrate contemporary culture from Africa and its diaspora.

Drawing artists and galleries from over 70 countries and visitors from 170 nations, it has played a pivotal role in redefining the African narrative. Its multidisciplinary programming, spanning art, music, literature and film, features initiatives like ART X Live!, ART X Cinema and ART X Talks.

From its inaugural edition, ART X Lagos extended an open invitation to cultural curators across Lagos to programme around the fair, sparking the art week and season in Nigeria, an annual highlight of the country's art scene.

ART X Lagos additionally champions emerging talent through programmes such as Resonance, The Masterclass, the ART X Prize and The Development Forum. It serves as a transformative cultural catalyst and a cornerstone of the African art sector today, shaping the future of African art and its global narrative.

Credit Zenith Bank PR

Released ₦10bn not for Ebola alone, NCDC clarifies amid outcry

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says the Federal Government released N10 billion to strengthen Nigeria’s broader health security system, not exclusively for Ebola preparedness, amid public debate.

The Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, clarifying concerns surrounding the allocation amid public discussions about Nigeria’s Ebola response.

Idris explained that the funding request covered prevention, preparedness, early detection and rapid response to several public health threats, including Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera and meningitis, among other diseases.

Others include diphtheria, measles, Mpox and antimicrobial resistance, which he said had historically contributed significantly to illness and deaths across the country, placing considerable pressure on Nigeria’s healthcare system.

He clarified that the N10 billion was released directly to NCDC, not the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President.

He said that the task force was established primarily to coordinate the national response, while the allocation was intended to address wider national health security needs beyond Ebola preparedness.

Idris said the N10 billion remained inadequate, considering the scale of investment required to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond effectively to public health emergencies nationwide.

He explained that Nigeria’s National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) 2.0, covering 2025 to 2029, required approximately N522 billion for implementation over five years across multiple sectors.

The plan, he said, translated to an average annual requirement of N104.4 billion, although not all its activities were funded through NCDC or its available government allocations.

He said that the N10 billion represented about two per cent of the plan’s average annual cost, underscoring the funding gap confronting Nigeria’s health security system and preparedness efforts.

Idris said NAPHS 2.0 adopted a multisectoral, One Health approach, bringing together government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders nationwide.

He explained that the plan followed the expiration of Nigeria’s first National Action Plan for Health Security, under which inadequate funding had remained a major implementation constraint for years.

The NCDC director-general said Nigeria needed sustainable domestic and external funding to strengthen preparedness and prevent outbreaks from escalating into national emergencies, threatening lives and livelihoods across communities.

He urged policymakers, the media and development partners to support adequate and accountable investment in NCDC and the country’s wider health security system to improve emergency preparedness.

Idris said Nigeria had responded to its first imported Ebola case with vigilance and precaution, emphasising that the situation did not warrant public panic or unnecessary alarm.

He said the Bundibugyo Ebola case was confirmed in NCDC’s laboratory on Oct. 20, 2026, within 24 hours of receiving the alert in Abuja, demonstrating rapid laboratory response.

He added that all identified contacts were under daily monitoring, while Nigeria currently had no active Ebola case following the management of the imported infection and associated response measures.

However, he said surveillance would continue until the last identified contact completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period without developing symptoms or any new case emerging during surveillance.

Idris emphasised that the country was not yet out of the woods, assuring Nigerians that NCDC would continue providing updates on the evolving situation through official communication channels.

He said the current epidemiological situation did not warrant postponing elections, banning campaigns or mass gatherings, or imposing travel restrictions on Nigerians and international visitors at present.

According to him, NCDC has not recommended such measures but has developed technical guidelines for organisers of mass gatherings to ensure compliance with infection prevention and control protocols.

He said events could proceed safely with strict adherence to established safety measures, adding that the agency would revise its recommendations if new evidence warranted changes in guidance.

Idris urged Nigerians to verify information through NCDC’s official communication channels before sharing reports, warning that rumours and misinformation could undermine public trust and response efforts during outbreaks.

On health security financing, he said NCDC’s allocation increased from N4 billion in 2024 to N7 billion in 2025, followed by a N5 billion intervention fund.

He added that the 2026 Appropriation provided N22 billion, while President Bola Tinubu approved an additional N10 billion emergency intervention fund in June 2026 to strengthen preparedness.

The NCDC chief said the additional funding was requested to address epidemic-prone diseases generally, rather than Ebola alone, and complement resources already mobilised from government and development partners.

He said the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board estimated that countries required between one and two dollars per person annually for acceptable epidemic preparedness and effective emergency response capacity.

Based on Nigeria’s estimated population of 240 million, Idris said the country required between 240 million and 480 million dollars annually to achieve adequate preparedness against public health threats.

He called for sustained investment from federal and state governments, as well as development partners, to close the funding gap and strengthen national health security across all sectors.

Idris said health security was one of the four pillars of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, describing sustained financing as essential to achieving its objectives nationwide.

He maintained that preventing outbreaks, deaths and economic disruptions required deliberate investment, urging Nigerians to regard health security as a national responsibility requiring collective commitment and sustained support.

The NCDC director-general assured Nigerians of transparency, accountability and prudent utilisation of resources entrusted to the agency, reaffirming its commitment to protecting public health across the country.

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Ogun 2027: My Eyes on the Ball, omission of my Name from INEC’s Final List a distraction, I'll win - Adebutu

The governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun, Ladi Adebutu, has said the omission of his name from the INEC’s final list is a temporary distraction that will not stop his political activities.

The electoral umpire had omitted Adebutu from the final list of candidates for the February 6 2027 governorship election in Ogun.

The lists, signed by INEC’s secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony and published on the commission’s website contained 13 candidates for the Ogun election, with no candidate representing the PDP.

Adebutu was left out amid growing doubts about his party membership, sparked by reports that his name did not appear on the PDP register submitted to INEC.

The PDP chieftain while reacting to reports over his membership status, insisted that he remains a committed member of the PDP.

He spoke on Monday in Abeokuta, when he received defectors from the APC, noting that he has been a candidate of the party for over 20 years without leaving the party for a day.

He, however, challenged anyone to present a proof that he ever visited another party office.

“I have been a candidate of the PDP five consecutive times. For the last 20 years, every election cycle, I have been a candidate of PDP.

“At what stage did I leave the party? Where is the proof that for one day, I even visited APC office,” he said.

Adebutu said he was actively involved in organising and financing the recent registration exercise in the state, which recorded about 19,800 members, adding that his registration number is 1536.

“For somebody that registered almost 20,000, and whose number is 1536? So I don’t know the magic; the story is up to Nigerians to decide,” he said.

Despite the omission, Adebutu insisted he would not be distracted, noting that his ongoing consultations have already covered 12 of the 20 local government areas and 140 of the 236 wards.

“There is justice in Nigeria. I was duly registered. I orchestrated registration in this state. The precondition for holding primaries is that you must be attested to be a party member.

“This is just to slow down the process and make the people disenfranchised and disenchanted.

“But never mind, it will end and it will even be a blessing to us. We will not be distracted; we keep our eyes on the ball and we shall win,” he said.

Credit NAN: Texts excluding Headline