# Aké Festival Lagos 2026

> Lagos hosts 14th Aké Arts and Book Festival with AI theme Nov 19-21.
- Title: Aké Festival Lagos 2026 · The Rio Times | Shortify
- Summary: Lagos hosts 14th Aké Arts and Book Festival with AI theme Nov 19-21. Nigeria's Aké Arts and Book Festival returns Nov 19-21 with AI theme, featuring Marvel…
- Keywords: ake arts and book festival, lagos, nigeria, book festival, ai theme, nnedi okorafor, roye okupe, silkwood hotel, ticket prices, nigerian visa, news, world
- Source: The Rio Times — https://riotimesonline.com/ake-arts-book-festival-lagos-november-2026
- Author: Samuel Ncube
- Published: 2026-10-08T15:03:28+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: ake arts and book festival, lagos, nigeria, book festival, ai theme, nnedi okorafor, roye okupe, silkwood hotel, ticket prices, nigerian visa, news, world
## Aké Festival Returns to Lagos
Nigeria's Aké Arts and Book Festival returns for its 14th edition in Lagos from Thursday, 19 November to Saturday, 21 November 2026.
## Festival Venue and Dates
The festival takes place at Silkwood Hotel Ikeja, 261 Sobo Arobiodu Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, a short drive from the main international airport.
## Ticket Pricing Details
Online tickets cost ₦20,000 (about US$15) and include festival guide, Aké Review 2026, ID card with lanyard, and access to all events.
## 2026 Guest List Highlights
The guest list features Marvel comics writer Nnedi Okorafor and Nigerian-American filmmaker Roye Okupe, among over 40 writers and artists.
## AI Theme Explained
The festival's 2026 theme, Native Intelligence, questions whose intelligence the future will be built on as AI reshapes storytelling and elections across Africa.
## Festival Organizers
The Book Buzz Foundation, a non-profit founded in 2012 to promote literacy, runs the festival with board member Lola Shoneyin as its founder.
## Guest Profiles
Nnedi Okorafor, author of Marvel's Black Panther, has won multiple Nebula and Hugo awards. Roye Okupe created the IYANU animated franchise streaming on HBO Max.
## Ticket Sales and Pricing
Tickets are sold online through Book Buzz Foundation's Paystack page at ₦20,000 (about US$15) with venue tickets at ₦25,000 (about US$19) available from November 19.
## Venue and Travel Info
The Silkwood Hotel Ikeja is twelve minutes from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, with ride-share apps recommended for safety in Lagos.
## US Travel Requirements
US citizens need a visa for Nigeria, with passports valid for six months beyond arrival and yellow fever and polio vaccination certificates required.
## Safety Advisory
The US State Department rates Nigeria Level 3, Reconsider Travel, with warnings about violent crime and kidnappings targeting dual nationals.
## Festival Program Status
Daily program, session times, and opening hours are not yet published, with the organizers stating they will be announced soon.
## What Comes Next
The festival program will be announced soon, with door tickets going on sale on Thursday, 19 November, and the festival closing on Saturday, 21 November.
## Additional Events
Visitors can also time a trip around ART X Lagos, an international art fair running Thursday, 5 November to Sunday, 8 November.
## Key takeaway

Nigeria's Aké Arts and Book Festival returns Nov 19-21 with AI theme, featuring Marvel writer Nnedi Okorafor and Nigerian-American filmmaker Roye Okupe.