Tokini Peterside-Schwebig didn’t always plan to work in the arts. In the winter of 2008, she was an anxious law school graduate from the London School of Economics. “I didn’t have all the answers,” she says. “But I gave myself until June to figure it out.”

She began splitting her time between London, where she was studying, and Lagos, where she grew up. Seeing how underrepresented African—and particularly Nigerian—culture was, she launched a consulting firm to help local luxury and culture brands grow. Still, she wanted deeper business knowledge.

In 2015, she enrolled in an MBA program at Insead. One year later, she founded Art X Lagos, West Africa’s first international art fair. Its inaugural edition, in 2016, took place at the Civic Centre, on Victoria Island, and featured 65 artists from 10 African countries. The following year, The Financial Times called it “a reflection of Nigeria’s potential on the global scene.” Since then, it’s exhibited artists including Yinka Shonibare CBE, Zanele Muholi, and Njideka Akunyili-Crosby.

Here, Peterside-Schwebig shares her favorite museums, galleries, and restaurants in one of the cities she calls home.

SLOW LAGOS

A Latin American–inspired brasserie set in a lush, plant-filled space, Slow Lagos offers a sophisticated but relaxed option for lunch or dinner. (slowlagos.com)

16 BY 16

A unique, family-owned boutique hotel and private gathering space that also curates exhibitions and helps organize artist residencies and events. (16by16.co)

NORDIC HOTEL LAGOS

This boutique hotel on Victoria Island is a serene enclave that blends Scandinavian design with Nigerian hospitality. (nordichotelsnigeria.com)

MìLíKì

This members’s club is amazing for a bit of calm in Lagos. It’s one of my favorite places to while away the time (miliki.ng).

Alára Lagos

A concept store by Reni Folawiyo, Alára is a must-visit for the best of African designs and other world-renowned labels. NOK by Alara, their contemporary African restaurant, is its culinary extension. (alaralagos.com; nokbyalara.com)

Jazzhole

This place is a timeless cultural sanctuary. It’s where Lagos’s creative pulse, intellect, and soul converge over music, books, and conversation. (instagram.com)

CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, LAGOS

Founded by the late Bisi Silva, C.C.A. serves as a pioneering institution for contemporary African art, fostering critical dialogue, experimental practices, and the development of a vibrant local and international creative community. (ccalagos.org)

G.A.S. Foundation

Created by Yinka Shonibare, this dynamic artist residency and research center is the sort of visionary space that has helped put Lagos on the map. I’m also a member of its board! (guestartistsspace.com)

JOHN RANDLE CENTRE FOR YORUBA CULTURE

A cultural hub in the Onikan neighborhood of Lagos, this museum celebrates Yoruba heritage through immersive storytelling, contemporary design, and community engagement. (jrandlecentre.com)

Kó

Founded by powerhouse Kavita Chellaram, Kó gallery shows both emerging and established African artists, capturing the spirit of Lagos’s new creative vanguard. (ko-artspace.com)

NAHOUS

Located in the repurposed east wing of Lagos’s Federal Palace Hotel, Nahous is a multidisciplinary cultural hub blending art, fashion, and design. (instagram.com)

RELE GALLERY

With its sharp eye for the latest talent, this gallery has expanded to Los Angeles and London in recent years. (rele.co)

Tiwani Contemporary

Tiwani’s Lagos outpost has become a pivotal platform for contemporary African and diasporic artists, bridging local creativity with global discourse. (tiwani.co)

Wunika Mukan Gallery

Established in 2020 by the curator Wunika Mukan, this gallery amplifies emerging voices from Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the diaspora. (wunikamukangallery.com)

Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art

Founded in 2019 at Pan-Atlantic University in the Lekki area of Lagos, the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art offers a world-class platform for the exploration and celebration of African art and heritage. (instagram.com)

You can explore our complete, constantly-updated guide to Lagos here