Nigeria makes a landmark debut at the 2025 London Design Biennale with its first-ever government-backed national pavilion, Yinka Olatunbosun reports
The London Design Biennale at Somerset House has been a thrilling celebration of global design collaboration, featuring immersive installations, soundscapes, paintings, and sculptures that transport visitors to a world of creative innovation. This year’s theme, “Surface Reflections,” brings together over 35 international pavilions, each sharing their unique perspective.
At its fifth edition, Nigeria is making a landmark debut at the Biennale with its first-ever government-backed national pavilion, “Hopes and Impediments.” Inspired by the ancient iron-smelting site of Lejja in Enugu state, the pavilion explores themes of memory, identity, and innovation through ethnographic research, digital storytelling, and architectural interventions.
Named after Chinua Achebe’s critical essays, “Hopes and Impediments” reflects on the fluid nature of identity, shaped by shared experiences, memories, and histories. The Curator Myles Igwebuike and production lead, Itohan Barlow Ndukuba discuss the impact of design, nation branding, and Nigeria’s potential global cultural influence.
Itohan notes that Nigeria’s participation is a strategic statement of the nation’s cultural and economic aspirations, showcasing Nigerian creativity as a global force that transcends borders and disciplines. The pavilion converges heritage, contemporary design, and technological innovation, telling a cohesive story about Nigeria’s identity and aspirations.
Itohan emphasises that African design narratives have long been underrepresented on global platforms, and the Nigerian Pavilion aims to change this narrative. By showcasing Nigerian creatives as powerful contributors to design frameworks, the pavilion seeks to reposition Nigeria as a leader in the global design landscape. Historically, Nigeria’s presentations at international art fairs have been underwhelming, failing to capture the true strength of its creative sector.
However, with the support of the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, the Nigerian Pavilion has taken a different approach. Itohan highlighted three significant changes: a new strategy, a focus on excellence, and increased accountability. The goal, she explained, is to align with the ministry’s “Nigeria Everywhere” mandate, which is not just about visibility, but also about showcasing excellence in Nigerian creativity. “We want to ensure that our execution reflects the highest standards,” she says, “and positions Nigeria as a hub for innovative design and creativity.”
The London Design Biennale, a premier event that attracts over 200,000 global visitors to Somerset House, includes museum directors, academics, media professionals, creatives, and policymakers. For Nigeria’s emerging creatives, this platform is a golden opportunity to showcase their craftsmanship and innovative ideas to the world. According to Itohan, the Nigerian Pavilion aims to leverage this exposure to promote not only Nigerian design but also the country as a vibrant cultural and tourist destination.
By highlighting collective creation as a core part of Nigerian identity, the pavilion brings to life the spirit of Nigerians, utilising technology to share a lesser-known African story. Interactive design technology is used to spark interest in Nigeria’s rich heritage and contemporary culture. The pavilion’s impact is set to extend beyond London, with plans to tour two additional international venues across Europe and the Middle East before returning to Nigeria. Itohan emphasised that this tour is both a cultural and economic necessity, providing a unique opportunity for Nigeria to showcase its creative prowess and attract global attention.
“The international tour is designed to extend the Pavilion’s impact beyond London,’’ she continues. “The idea is to bring Nigeria’s creative story to global capitals of art and design. This is not just an exhibition; it’s a narrative journey-one that aims to build long-term cultural partnerships and open doors for Nigerian designers in global markets. In each city, we plan to host business networking sessions and panel discussions that highlight Nigeria’s potential in innovation and craftsmanship. We expect to position Nigeria as a global leader in design, while also creating economic opportunities for our artists and designers through international collaborations.”
Curating the Nigerian Pavilion for the London Design Biennale came with its challenges, including navigating traditional methods to create a cohesive and authentic narrative. Itohan noted that African design is often narrowly perceived, and this pavilion is an opportunity to redefine Nigerian design on a global stage. “Design is often confused with art, but it’s far more expansive,” Igwebuike says. Securing funding and sponsorship was another hurdle, but partnering with institutions that understand design’s economic and cultural value is key to the pavilion’s success.
From a curatorial perspective, Myles emphasised building a network of stakeholders across design, technology, and education. By collaborating with universities, local design hubs, and creative agencies, the team ensured the pavilion reflects Nigeria’s diverse talent. “This exhibition is a movement to elevate Nigerian design and inspire the next generation of creative leaders,” Igwebuike says.
The pavilion is expected to be an economic catalyst, encouraging youth participation and attracting global interest in Nigerian design talent. As one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing sectors, the creative industry is projected to contribute $100 billion to the nation’s GDP by 2030. This project could drive job creation, increase exports of Nigerian design, and foster stronger international partnerships.
Itohan says the Pavilion is a movement towards uniting the creative ecosystem. “That’s the same vision we have for the Nigerian Pavilion at the London Design Biennale. Our concept, ‘Hopes and Impediments,’ is designed to fuse elements of heritage, contemporary design, and technological innovation under one roof. We are creating a space where architecture, fashion, digital design, and traditional craftsmanship co-exist and tell a cohesive story about who we are and where we are going.”
The Nigerian Pavilion at the Biennale draws inspiration from Lejja, an ancient iron-smelting site in southeastern Nigeria with over 2,000 years of metallurgical history. This site represents both hope, due to its technological brilliance predating the industrial revolution, and impediment, as its history has been under-recognized globally.
Curator Myles Igwebuike explains that Lejja’s ancient technological mastery may have faded from contemporary use, but its ecological and social structures endure, offering insights into how indigenous knowledge systems shape governance, gender dynamics, and communal resilience. The pavilion aims to surface these submerged narratives through soundscapes, digital modeling, and material textures, creating a space where ancient memory and future vision collide.
By reimagining Lejja and its surroundings, the pavilion showcases Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and highlights the country’s contribution to global design. Supported by the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, and sponsored by Leadway Group, the pavilion serves as a platform to project African heritage on the world stage.
Ultimately, the Nigerian Pavilion at the London Design Biennale served a dual purpose: as a mirror and a map. Designed to be both reflective and forward-looking, the pavilion showcasing Lejja is a histo-cultural symbol, affirming Nigeria’s ancient technology while projecting a future where Nigerian designers are defining new standards in global architecture, digital media, and product design. By amplifying the voices of an overlooked region, the pavilion proposes a radical new framework- one that asserts that the future of African design lies in the intelligence of its past.
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