Pride in Lagos is an annual LGBTQ pride festival held during the last week of June in Lagos, Nigeria. Founded in 2021 by QueerCity Media under the leadership of Olaide Kayode Timileyin, it serves as a platform for visibility, community building, advocacy, and celebration in a highly restrictive legal and social context.
The event has drawn hundreds of queer people each year and has been held consecutively since 2021. The 2022 festival marked Nigeria's first publicly recognised, week-long Pride celebration.
In Nigeria, same-sex relationships, public displays of affection between same-sex persons, and LGBTQ+ organisations are criminalised under the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act of 2014, which carries penalties of up to 14 years imprisonment. Despite pervasive stigma, an underground queer culture has persisted in Lagos, including inclusive spaces within fashion, digital communities, and ballroom scenes.
Pride in Lagos debuted in June 2021 as a series of discreet events like panels, film screenings, and workshops to foster solidarity and community, marking one of the few structured pride events in Nigeria to date.
From 20âÂÂ26 June 2022, the festival hosted art exhibitions, panel discussions, a runway show, and a concluding drag and ballroom ball. Organisers described it as "the first of its kind" in terms of reach and impact. It featured prominent queer figures like Aja Kween and Bisi Alimi, along with performer Temmie Ovwasa.
By mid-2023, the event had gained increased visibility, with larger public participation, greater representation of queer creatives, and acknowledgment of the underground ballroom community.
In June 2024, the festival included a high-profile ballroom âÂÂneoâÂÂgothâ ball in memory of the late Fola Francis, NigeriaâÂÂs first openly transgender runway model, who died in December 2023. That year also introduced the Equality Summit & Awards, featuring panels on community safety, economic empowerment, and LGBTQ+ rights advocacy.
The 2025 edition continued the annual tradition with a ballroom ball held on 27 June 2025. It also hosted the Equality Summit with Bisi Alimi as the keynote speaker.
Typical events during Pride in Lagos include:
Given NigeriaâÂÂs legal constraints, the festival is often held in private or semi-private venues, announced shortly in advance. Organisers implement security measures such as background checks and no-photography policies for attendee protection.