Nigeria’s flagship event, Lagos International Theatre Festival (LITF) returns next month. Running from 10 to 16 November, LITF, the MUSON Centre and venues across the city will host a vibrant and packed public programme for children and adults, and a week of networking and collaboration opportunities for professionals.
This year’s edition features 20 productions across five stages, with companies from Nigeria, South Africa and the United States taking part. Alongside performances, the programme includes masterclasses, networking events and cultural showcases, creating a hub for artists, producers and audiences shaping the future of global theatre.
“This year’s festival celebrates the power of storytelling to connect people. LITF 2025 is where creativity, culture and community collide, a space where Lagos meets the world,” says Festival Director Vanessa Jev. “The festival embodies the energy and ambition of a new generation of African creatives shaping the future of global theatre. It is a platform for dialogue, collaboration and discovery, showcasing how Nigerian talent continues to inspire audiences across the globe.”
Launched by Bolanle Austen‑Peters, who founded Terra Kultura cultural centre in 2003, the festival has grown into a major theatre event in Africa. Described by CNN as the “queen of Nigerian theatre” and as the “Tyler Perry of Nigeria,” Austen‑Peters is a lawyer‑turned filmmaker, theatre director and producer. For more than two decades, Austen‑Peters’ flagship venue, Terra Kultura has hosted hundreds of productions and exhibitions, trained thousands of young creatives through the Terra Academy for the Arts, and established itself as a cornerstone of the country’s cultural economy. Part gallery, part language school, part restaurant, it is a hub for Nigeria’s most successful theatre productions.
“LITF is more than a celebration of the arts,” she explains. “It is a platform for creative exchange and cultural diplomacy. Each year, local and international artists come together to collaborate, perform and tell stories that resonate across borders. The festival embodies the ambition of a new creative era in Africa, anchoring Lagos as a global cultural hub. Through LITF and Terra Kultura, I am deeply committed to nurturing African talent, celebrating our stories, and ensuring our voices are heard on the world stage. This is how Nigeria’s rich heritage meets global imagination, and how the next generation of creatives will lead the future of the arts in Africa and beyond.”
On Monday 10 November the festival opens for professionals with Theatre Meets Food at Kaly Restaurant, an evening of gourmet dining, cocktails, live performance and networking with Lagos’s cultural tastemakers; on Tuesday 11 November a curated group will attend Director’s Night at the British Consulate; on Wednesday 12 November the US Embassy hosts an exclusive outdoor evening of short performances by the US delegation followed by cocktails; on Thursday 13 November a conversation and masterclass series features Aubrey Sekhabi (South African State Theatre), Valerie Green (Dance Entropy Inc & Green Space), Professor Segun Ojewuyi (Southern Illinois University), Professor Jaemin Park (Southern Illinois University) and Bolanle Austen‑Peters; the red‑carpet opening night takes place on Friday 14 November at the MUSON with BAP Productions, award presentations and appearances by leading figures in arts and culture.
See the full programme online at lagosinternationaltheatrefestival.ng.
