Lagos has earned global recognition again, ranking 14th in Time Out Magazine’s 2025 list of the world’s best nightlife cities.
The city was also named the second-best nightlife destination in Africa, just behind Cape Town, South Africa.
Time Out, a renowned global lifestyle publication, compiled the rankings based on surveys from thousands of city residents and input from nightlife experts, focusing on vibrancy, diversity and cultural relevance in urban nightlife scenes.
According to the report, 79 percent of Lagosians gave positive feedback about the city’s nightlife, citing its energy and wide-ranging offerings, from exclusive lounges to vibrant underground rave venues.
In Africa, Lagos stood out above cities like Cairo, which placed 15th globally, and Marrakech, ranked 19th, reinforcing its growing influence as a cultural and entertainment powerhouse on the continent.
“It shows that the security architecture put in place by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is working. It speaks to the number of tourists who pour into Lagos daily and the success of the last Detty December,” he noted.
Omotoso also said the government plans to institutionalise the state’s tourism calendar, highlighting year-end festivities as a major economic driver.
He disclosed that Lagos will be the first African city to host the prestigious EI (water race) Championship later in the year.
“The end-of-the-year events, popularly described as Detty December, always have huge positive effects on the socio-economic landscape of the state,” he added.
The Time Out report noted the global evolution of nightlife, with cities adapting to changing tastes and cultural shifts. Lagos was praised for embracing these changes with a distinctive and dynamic approach.
The latest recognition followed Lagos’ previous appearance in Time Out’s 2024 list, where the city ranked 6th, outperforming nightlife destinations such as Rotterdam and Manchester.
The full list includes global nightlife hotspots such as Las Vegas, Madrid, Paris, Shanghai, and Berlin, with Lagos among the top 20 cities to experience after-dark excitement in 2025.
