If there is one thing I have learned about December in Lagos, it is that saying you are “just coming home for Christmas” is probably the biggest lie you can tell yourself. This is because before you know it, your calendar is full. We have done the work to let you in on the things to do for Detty December 2026.
There is a concert on Friday, a fashion event on Saturday, a beach party on Sunday, someone’s wedding the following weekend and at least three people asking if you are going to the same event they are attending. Then there are the restaurant openings, art exhibitions, rooftop parties, boat cruises, pop-ups and end-of-year celebrations that somehow appear on your Instagram every five minutes.
That is Detty December.
And 2026 is already shaping up to be another packed season in Lagos, with major festivals, concerts and cultural experiences announced while more events continue to drop. The biggest thing to remember is that Detty December is not one festival. It is the entire ecosystem of things happening across Lagos as the city fills up with returning Nigerians, tourists, creatives, celebrities and people who simply decided they were not spending December at home.
So if you are planning your December now, here is the roundup I would keep bookmarked. Also check out eventbrite for more thing to do for Detty December 2026.
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Detty December 2026
My Detty December has already started with the fashion month. I just attended Lagos fashion week 2026 followed by GT fashion weekend. And my God!, I loved it.
Detty December is my favorite time of the year to stock up on my favorite fashion pieces and of course we outside. Here is a round list of what to do for December 2026.
Detty December Fest
Let’s start with the obvious one. Detty December Fest is returning to Lagos from December 18 to 30, 2026, creating a 13-day festival experience built around music, nightlife, food, fashion, culture and entertainment.
The festival has two performance stages this year, the Detty Festival Stage and the Detty Pulse Stage, with the wider experience also including a food and shopping boulevard, Christmas experiences, a Gen Z-focused space, art and culture activations and VIP hospitality. The opening concert is already confirmed, and it is a major one.
Wizkid Opens Detty December Fest
Wizkid is scheduled to headline the Grand Opening Concert on Friday, December 18. This is currently one of the biggest confirmed names on the Detty December 2026 calendar, and I would expect the demand around this one to be significant.
The festival’s calendar currently has ten major shows spread across its 13-day run, including an Opening Weekend Culture Night, Launch Weekend Concert, Detty After Dark, Christmas Eve Special, Christmas at The Fest, Legacy Headliner Night, Future Headliner Night, Afterglow and a White Out Rave finale.
The rest of the artist lineup is being released in waves. So, this is one calendar I would keep checking rather than assuming the first announcement is the full bill.
Motherland Festival
Motherland Festival is another name to have on your December radar. The 2026 edition is listed for Sunday, December 20 at Motherland Grounds in Lagos, with tickets already available.
What makes events like this interesting is that they fit into the wider Detty December experience rather than feeling like another standard concert. The season is increasingly about music mixed with culture, food, fashion, lifestyle and community, and Motherland sits comfortably within that space.
If your ideal December involves experiencing Nigerian and African culture alongside live entertainment, this is one to watch.
Rhythm Unplugged
Rhythm Unplugged has become one of the names people immediately associate with Lagos in December. The 2026 date currently being reported is December 21 at the Eko Convention Centre, although the final official programme should be checked as more announcements are released.
This is the kind of event I would expect to attract people who want the full concert experience: big production, major performers and the sort of crowd where everyone seems to know every lyric. And if you are planning your December around concerts, this is one of the dates to leave room for.
Flytime Fest
Then there is Flytime Fest, which has been part of Lagos’ December entertainment calendar for years. The 2026 calendar is currently being reported around December 22–25 at the Eko Convention Centre. The previous edition brought together names including Rema, Central Cee, Davido, Asake, Olamide, Flavour and Tiwa Savage, so expectations for the next edition are understandably high.
I would not lock in an artist-specific plan until the 2026 organisers release the official bill, but Flytime is definitely one of those events I would have sitting on my December watchlist. It is also worth remembering that Flytime is more than one concert. Its December programming has included Rhythm Unplugged and House of RnB, creating a broader week of music around the festive period.
BNXN Live in Concert
If you prefer seeing one artist carry an entire concert rather than moving between several festival stages, BNXN is another name appearing on the 2026 calendar. The currently listed date is December 19 at Landmark Event Centre in Victoria Island.
A dedicated concert can have a completely different energy from a huge festival. You are there for one artist’s catalogue, one production and one particular atmosphere, which can make the night feel much more personal.
Juma Jux Live in Lagos
The December calendar is not limited to Nigerian artists either. Tanzanian artist Juma Jux is listed for a Lagos performance on December 18, adding some East African flavour to the city’s already international December music scene.
This is exactly the kind of crossover that makes Lagos interesting during Detty December. You can start the month listening to Nigerian Afrobeats, find yourself at an international artist’s show a few days later and somehow end up at an entirely different cultural event the following morning.
Art Meets Fashion Lagos
And because Detty December is not just about music, I am keeping fashion on my list too.
Art Meets Fashion Lagos is currently listed for December 17 at Lagos Continental Hotel in Victoria Island. This is the kind of event I would expect fashion lovers to have on their radar because it sits at the intersection of two of Lagos’ strongest creative communities.
Fashion during December is also not limited to traditional runway shows. Expect brand pop-ups, designer showcases, private presentations, fashion parties, styling events and stores using the season to launch collections and host experiences. If you care about what people are wearing as much as who is performing, keep your eyes on the fashion calendar.
Food Festivals and Pop-Ups
One thing I would absolutely not leave out of a Detty December roundup is food. This is because Lagos in December is not just about what you are wearing or where you are going at night. Restaurants, food festivals, pop-ups, grills, cocktail experiences and outdoor food markets become a huge part of the season.
Detty December Fest itself is building food and shopping into its festival boulevard, with street food, grills, drinks, desserts and café experiences included in its 2026 programme.
That is important because sometimes you genuinely do not need another concert. Sometimes you just want to dress up, find somewhere beautiful to eat, take pictures and go home before midnight.
Beach Parties
Then there are the beach days. December in Lagos practically demands at least one beach day, especially when the alternative is spending your entire holiday moving between indoor venues.
Expect beach clubs and waterfront venues around areas such as Oniru, Lekki and other parts of the Lagos coastline to become increasingly busy as December approaches. The nice thing about adding a beach day to your itinerary is that it gives you a completely different kind of December experience.
You can have a slow afternoon, wear the outfit you have been saving, eat, listen to music and actually talk to your friends. That counts as Detty too.
Art, Culture and Creative Experiences
If you are spending the entire month going from concert to concert, you are honestly missing a large part of what makes Lagos interesting. December is also a good time to explore galleries, exhibitions, creative studios, markets and cultural spaces.
The Detty December Fest programme itself includes art and culture experiences alongside its music and nightlife offerings, while Lagos’ broader creative calendar continues to grow around the festive season. This is the side of December I would especially recommend for visitors who are coming to Nigeria for the first time.
Go to the concert, obviously. But also spend an afternoon somewhere that tells you something about Lagos.
Christmas Eve Events
December 24 deserves its own category because Lagos does not suddenly become quiet because Christmas is tomorrow. Instead, it is quite the opposite.
Detty December Fest has a Christmas Eve Special scheduled for December 24, while venues across Lagos will be putting on their own Christmas Eve dinners, parties, concerts and nightlife experiences. This is one night where I would definitely plan ahead as the city is busy, restaurants fill up quickly and traffic can become ridiculous. So choose your location carefully and do not assume you can simply decide what to do at 7 p.m.
Christmas Day at the Fest
Christmas Day can go one of two ways. You can stay home, eat enough jollof rice to feed a small village and watch movies. Or, you can go outside.
Detty December Fest has a Christmas at The Fest experience scheduled for December 25, meaning the city will still have a major entertainment option even on Christmas Day. Personally, I think the trick is not trying to make every single day a big night out. Christmas Day is actually a good opportunity for something slower before the final stretch of December begins.
New Year’s Eve
And finally, we have December 31 which is the grand finale. Every rooftop, hotel, restaurant, beach club, nightclub and major event venue seems to have a New Year’s Eve plan.
There will be countdown parties, fireworks, live music, dinners, club nights and private events happening across Lagos. This is one night where location matters enormously.
Choosing an event because the flyer looks good without considering where you are staying could leave you spending half the night sitting in traffic. Pick your venue first, then build the rest of your night around it.