London’s Tate Modern has opened a major exhibition titled Nigerian Modernism: Art & Independence on 8 October 2025, running until 10 May 2026. This exhibit brings over 250 artworks from more than 50 Nigerian artists to showcase the development of modern art in Nigeria from the 1940s through the late 20th century. 

The exhibition is curated by Osei Bonsu, Curator of International Art at Tate Modern, together with Bilal Akkouche, and supported by organisations like Access Holdings and Coronation Group, as well as foundations including Ford Foundation and The Andy Warhol Foundation. 

Visitors to Nigerian Modernism will see works spanning painting, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, and installations. Key figures in the show include Ben Enwonwu, Ladi Kwali, Uzo Egonu, Akinola Lasekan, among others, representing both colonial era mastery and post-independence artistic response. Themes such as identity, culture, colonial influence, and Nigerian artists’ interaction with global modernism are deeply explored. 

There are significant displays addressing how independence shaped artistic expression, how traditional forms met and blended with Western styles, and how art documented Nigeria’s social and political changes. The works of artist groups like the Zaria Art Society and the Mbari Artists’ and Writers’ Club are central to the narrative. 

One highlight is how the exhibition does not just show visuals but also gives voice to history: some pieces draw on folklore, agricultural life, colonial portraits, and abstractions that reflect periods of upheaval. Viewers will also find art reflecting spiritual practices and sacred groves, for instance the Osogbo School and works connected to Yoruba mythology. 

Organisers hope this exhibition will strengthen global understanding of Nigerian modern art not as a side note, but as a central contributor to modernism overall. For art lovers visiting London, this is a rare chance to engage with works that shaped Nigeria’s cultural identity in the 20th century.