South Africa and Nigeria to Celebrate Shared Heritage with Special Event in Lagos

The South African Consulate in Lagos is partnering with Afroflavour to host a special Heritage Day celebration on September 20, 2025, at the Federal Palace Hotel Gardens in Victoria Island, Lagos. The event aims to bring Nigerians and South Africans together through a vibrant showcase of culture, food, fashion, art, and music.

Heritage Day, celebrated annually on September 24 in South Africa, honours the nation’s diverse cultural heritage and traditions. This year’s event in Lagos reflects the strong diplomatic and cultural ties between South Africa and Nigeria, two of Africa’s largest economies.

The festival will feature a wide range of activities, including a Cape Town experience with Afroflavour passports, a Pan-African culture market offering food, jewellery, and crafts, and a symbolic photo opportunity at Shaka Zulu’s throne. Traditional South African dishes such as bobotie, bunny chow, and Cape Malay curry will be served alongside Nigerian meals.

Fashion will take centre stage with the Afroliganza Fashion Procession, showcasing South African designs alongside traditional Yoruba, Urhobo, Hausa, and Igbo attire. A Creators Lab will host talks on culture, food, and Africa’s future, while six countries—South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Morocco, and Zimbabwe—will compete in the first-ever African tripe cook-off.
Sebo Lenyai of the South African Consulate emphasised that the partnership reflects the strong ties between Nigeria and South Africa, noting that both nations share more commonalities than differences. Afroflavour founder Lucky Idike Jr. added that the event aligns with their mission to promote African cuisine as a driver of trade, culture, and economic growth.

This event is part of broader efforts to deepen trade and cultural cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa. Recent initiatives include business matchmaking sessions and discussions on regulatory reforms to enhance economic collaboration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The celebration will run from 12 noon to 8 p.m., with tickets priced at ₦10,000 for general admission and ₦50,000 for VIP access. Tickets are available online at www.naija.events. The event is supported by South African Airways and the Lai Labode Heritage Foundation.