For the past 15 years, Davido has brought Afrobeats to audiences worldwide. Now, he hopes to bring the world to Lagos.
The Nigerian superstar will host a three-night residency at Lagos’ National Theatre from December 17 to 19. The homecoming will celebrate his latest album, “Oriadé,” his biggest hits and a career that has grown with Afrobeats’ global rise.
But for the 34-year-old, the residency means more than just marking 15 years in the music industry; he wants to prove
that African artists don’t need to go overseas to create global music moments, and hopes Lagos can become a destination for fans everywhere. Bringing everything back home is very important for the culture,” Davido told CNN.
The idea came to him after he toured Africa last year. Although he has performed in Nigeria in recent years, it was his first time touring the wider continent in eight years.
“Me just being home just gave me so much inspiration,” he said. “This kind of feels better doing it from where you’re actually from.”
“I don’t ever want to take that kind of break again away from my fans back home,” he added.
Davido says part of his vision for Lagos came from watching Bad Bunny bring fans from around the world to Puerto Rico for his 30-date residency in 2025.
What stood out to him wasn’t just the performances on stage, but everything happening around them.
“It was like a whole tourist attraction,” Davido said. “The country (Puerto Rico) made money, he made money, he promoted his culture. So that’s kind of where my head is at.”
Lagos is already a tourist destination in December, when members of the Nigerian diaspora and visitors from around the world pour into the city for concerts, parties and other events during the festive period popularly known as “Detty December.”