Lagos pulses even in the finest times, but as the year concludes, the massive Nigerian metropolis transforms. The annual Detty December festivities usher in bright lights, loud music, and a surge in costs as one of the globe’s biggest parties unfolds in nightclubs, bars, and on the streets.
But this year’s celebrations carry a sharp undertone as the nation contends with economic strain, uncertainty, and the biggest downer—the government’s effort to capitalize on the coolness.
December, which usually runs from the 6th to the 31st, sometimes bleeds into January, is a period of abundance in Nigeria, where continuous activity and plentiful naira, the local currency, circulate freely.
It’s a time when members of the Nigerian diaspora descend upon their homeland—a huge influx known as IJGBs, or “I Just Got Back.” They return home with the traditional Christmas spirit, a longing for merriment, and bank accounts ready for significant spending. These components turn Lagos into a carnival hub: its roads become clogged, and its nights are filled with sound.
Detty means “dirty,” slang for letting loose—which is exactly what occurs. Festivals, concerts, celebrity bashes, pop-up markets, beach parties, and weddings all occur back-to-back, with each event vying to be grander, brighter, and more memorable than the last.
In 2024, the season delivered one spectacle after another. There was the Flytime Fest, featuring Grammy-nominated stars Davido and Olamide. Vibes on the Beach with Wizkid provided a different, seaside setting. The My Afrobeats Detty December Takeover involved 15 Afrobeats-themed parties spanning every corner of Lagos.
The lineup for 2025 is already set to compete: Palmwine Music Festival, Peak Detty Vibes, The Bonfire Experience with Victony, Juma Jux Live in Lagos, and the Foodie in Lagos Festival.
“A Fantastic Cultural Reboot”
For Wale Davies, who founded the Palmwine Music Festival in 2017, the expansion has been dramatic but not unexpected.
“Before the official Detty December existed, December was always childish in our view,” he remarks. “Now it has become bigger than what achieved popularity.” Attendance has significantly risen from the early days; the last couple of years alone have drawn exponentially more attendees—both from the diaspora and within Nigeria.
Some Lagos residents structure their entire year around this period.
For Akinwande, the rise of Detty December means she no longer has to schedule her holiday meetups—the calendar arranges itself now. “Last year, I kept up with numerous wedding invitations and spent time with pals. This year, I’m looking forward to several concerts, weddings, and, naturally, Detty December Fest.”
Some returnees view the season not just as revelry and reunion—it’s a reset. PR professional Mimi Egesionu, arriving from New York for her third time, dubs it a “fantastic cultural reboot.” She prefers the warmth of Lagos to the winter in NYC and structures her evenings around gigs and fashion shows.
“The concert scene is truly unique,” she notes. “It feels like you are seeing a different global superstar every evening. The collective mood is simply unrivaled anywhere else in the world.”
Even late ticket buying caused no anxiety. “Fortunately, there are always offers available around this time,” she states. With family providing lodging, she is set for the season.
And it’s not limited to Nigeria. Ghana hosts its own events for Ghanaians and visitors alike, including the Baajo International Dance Festival, All Black Party, and polo tournaments. The nation has seen a steady influx of tourists since 2019, when the “Year of Return” initiative was launched, encouraging people of Ghanaian descent to visit the city.
This shifted with the global surge of Afrobeats. “People now stay in Lagos for a few parties, which also attracts the Nigerian diaspora arriving with foreign exchange,” says Ikechi Uko, a tourism expert and organizer of the long-running social market, Akwaaba. “They convert it into naira and live in luxury. That’s why Detty December now feels like opulence.”
And opulence has consequences. Airfare costs spiked as early as August. Economy class tickets on Nigerian carriers roughly doubled to 350,000 naira. Event tables that once cost 350,000 naira now run 500,000, an increase of about $100. A bottle of cognac usually priced at 55,000 naira can nearly double, depending on the venue.
The cost escalation is widespread. In the Surulere district of Lagos, Wale Sunny pays 200,000 naira (around $135) for the same bottle of Glenfiddich whiskey at his regular spot that typically costs 170,000, and fried catfish has jumped from 15,000 to 20,000. This is the “mainland price,” he observes. On Lagos Island, the city’s commercial nucleus, the drink can hit 50,000, and fish up to 30,000.
Demand extends beyond nightlife. At Kuku’s Hair—a salon chain seeing a growing diaspora clientele—founder Akunna Nwulor Akanno began accepting reservations in August. “We are fully booked until December 31st,” she confirms. “Our salons officially shut down from January 1st to the 17th.” Detty December boosts the daily customer load from 15 to 25.
The Lagos State Government reports that the 2024 December season generated over $71.6 million from tourism, hospitality, and entertainment.
Earlier this year, a proposal surfaced to impose a $500 tourism levy on diaspora Nigerians. The suggestion, which projected potential revenue of $165 million, was swiftly rejected by stakeholders as “unwise and potentially exploitative.” The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission warned that “such advice is counterproductive and more likely to deter than encourage many Nigerians planning to visit home.”
Uko, the travel industry specialist, argues the government shouldn’t interfere in what has become an organic, people-driven economy. “Nigerians are creating the success that Nigerians are benefiting from,” he states, noting that the music scene and Nigeria’s thriving ‘Nollywood’ film industry have flourished independently of it.
“Nollywood, Afrobeats—what drives the Detty December culture is not within the purview of government administration. The government’s role is to ensure security, monitor safety compliance, and assist businesses in maintaining reasonable rates.”
But even the most festive season exists alongside a darker reality. In some parts of the country, violent assaults, kidnappings, and banditry mar daily existence. The insecurity has persisted for a decade and shows no clear end. Nonetheless, life goes on—and the celebrations continue.
The resilience of Nigerians, Uko suggests, is embodied in Detty December, where music, food, dance, and fashion overcome the nation’s biggest hardships. “If these few days are what we have to temporarily forget the gloom, it’s worth maximizing. Postponing Detty December won’t alter or improve the uncertainty.”
About the Author
