The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) will officially open the doors of its first public building — the MOWAA Institute — on 11 November 2025, marking a significant milestone in the development of a cultural hub in Benin City.
Designed as the cornerstone of MOWAA’s wider campus plan, the Institute spans approximately 4,500 square metres and is equipped with facilities for conservation, archaeological research, public programming and collection storage. The site represents the first completed phase of a multi-building campus, with further developments — including a Rainforest Gallery, Artist Studios, an Art Guesthouse and an Artisans’ Hall — expected to be completed by 2028.
Coinciding with the launch of the Institute is MOWAA’s inaugural exhibition titled Nigeria Imaginary: Homecoming, which will restage the Nigerian Pavilion from the 60th Venice Biennale. The exhibition, curated by Aindrea Emelife, will showcase works by leading Nigerian artists including Kelani Abass, Modupeola Fadugba, Ngozi-Omeje Ezema and Isaac Emokpae. The exhibition will run until 11 April 2026 across multiple locations on the new campus.
In a move to centre artists in the institution’s ongoing evolution, MOWAA has also announced the formation of its inaugural Artist Council. The council includes prominent African and diasporic figures such as Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, Michael Armitage, Victor Ehikhamenor, Nengi Omuku, Dr Odun Orimolade, and Kaloki Nyamai. Members, who will serve two-year terms, are expected to play an advisory role on institutional programming, exhibition planning, mentorship and artist residencies.
“This is not a ceremonial committee; it is an engine of collective authorship,” said Emelife.
In addition to artistic programming, MOWAA has entered into a long-term partnership with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), facilitating the public display of historic Nigerian objects through a multi-year lending scheme. The partnership will also strengthen conservation infrastructure and support local training initiatives.
Further support comes via a partnership with the French Embassy in Nigeria, which includes joint programmes on cultural preservation, archival training, mobile technology for cultural heritage, and capacity building within the creative sector.
“MOWAA is committed to working with others to build a regenerative and interconnected creative ecosystem,” said Ore Disu, Director of the MOWAA Institute.
Set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s annual art season, the opening of the Institute is expected to bolster efforts aimed at decentralising access to cultural institutions and to position Benin City as a significant site for contemporary and historical African art.
