The Fanti Carnival has lit up Lagos' financial hub for more than two centuries, celebrating the legacy of Afro-Brazilian returnees who migrated back to Africa in the 1800s from countries like Brazil and Cuba. These customs fused with those of Nigeria's Yoruba people, leading to creations like the carnival. The celebration is sustained by seven historic associations rooted in different areas of Lagos Island, with each community distinguished by signature colours; for example, members of the Lafiaji association always wear red and white. Youngsters appear to be heeding this message, as several children and teenagers participated in the Monday's parades, decked out in creative costumes. Carnival organisers describe the event as neither wholly Brazilian nor wholly Yoruba, but entirely its own.
Worshippers carrying wooden crosses and dressed in biblical costumes moved through districts including Yaba and Ikeja on 3 April, stopping to pray and reflect on the final hours of Jesus. Good Friday is a public holiday in Nigeria and one of the most visible moments of the Christian calendar, with the country home to one of Africa’s largest Christian populations and Easter processions regularly drawing large crowds. The annual ritual is widely observed across the country, but this year many participants said it resonated more deeply as households struggle with rising prices, job insecurity, and persistent violence. The symbolism was especially strong in Lagos, where inflation and transport costs continue to shape daily life, and recent market reporting has shown that food staples remain expensive across the city, even as some prices have eased from previous peaks. Against that backdrop, the Stations of the Cross became both a religious observance and a public expression of endurance, with the message heard on the streets this year not only about sacrifice and redemption, but also about resilience in a country under sustained economic pressure.