Lagos has earned a spot among the top cities for nightlife worldwide, securing 14th place globally and second in Africa, trailing only Cape Town, South Africa.
This recognition was detailed in a recent Time Out Magazine report, which compiled the list based on insights from thousands of residents and nightlife experts across the world.
As stated in the report, “79% of Lagos residents rated the city’s nightlife positively.”
The city outshone other major African contenders like Cairo and Marrakech, which placed 15th and 19th globally, respectively.
Time Out emphasized the transformation of Lagos’ nightlife scene—from upscale lounges to vibrant underground rave venues—highlighting places such as “SweatItOutLagos” and “Our Group Therapy” as driving forces behind the city’s energetic night culture.
Commenting on the report, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, described the ranking as evidence of effective security strategies in the state.
“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 said.
He mentioned the administration’s plans to create a structured tourism calendar, especially for events in the year’s final quarter.
Lagos is also poised to make history in 2025 as the first African city to host the EI (water race) Championship.
Omotoso noted, “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 also cited Time Out’s observation: “Nightlife takes on lots of different forms, and cities all over the world have adapted to our changing habits when it comes to going out.”
This latest accolade adds to Lagos’ earlier appearance in Time Out’s September 2024 ranking, where the city was listed 6th globally for nightlife—beating out places like Rotterdam and Manchester.
Founded in 1968, Time Out Magazine now operates in 333 cities across 59 countries and remains a global authority on urban entertainment and culture.
Top 20 Cities for Nightlife in 2025 – Time Out Magazine:
- Las Vegas
- Madrid
- Paris
- Shanghai
- Berlin
- Melbourne
- Brighton
- Mexico City
- Dubai
- Mumbai
- Cape Town
- Warsaw
- Bangkok
- Lagos
- Cairo
- Riyadh
- Amsterdam
- Medellín
- Marrakech
- Athens