Afrobeats star Davido says his planned three-night residency in Lagos will showcase the ability of African artists to create global music moments at home while supporting the local economy and promoting Nigerian culture.
CNN reported on Monday that the Nigerian singer will hold the residency at the National Theatre in Lagos from December 17 to 19.
The shows will feature songs from his latest album, Oriadé, alongside some of his biggest hits and performances with other artists.
Davido told CNN that bringing his international success back to Nigeria was important to the country’s culture.
“Bringing everything back home is very important for the culture,” he said.
The 34-year-old singer said the idea gained momentum after he toured Africa last year, marking his first major continental tour in eight years.
“Me just being home just gave me so much inspiration,” he said. “This kind of feels better doing it from where you’re actually from.”
He added, “I don’t ever want to take that kind of break again away from my fans back home.”
Davido said his vision was partly inspired by Bad Bunny’s 30-date residency in Puerto Rico in 2025, which attracted international visitors and boosted activity beyond the concert venue.
“It was like a whole tourist attraction,” Davido said. “The country (Puerto Rico) made money, he made money, he promoted his culture.”
The singer hopes his Lagos residency will similarly encourage international fans to visit the city, particularly in December when Nigerians in the diaspora and foreign visitors travel to Lagos for concerts and other events associated with “Detty December”.
“The talent in Lagos is mind-blowing,” he said. “Talent is like water in Lagos.”
Davido also highlighted the newly renovated National Theatre as an important part of the project because of its place in Nigeria’s entertainment history.
“It’s like our own MSG (Madison Square Garden) kind of thing,” he said, comparing the venue with the famous New York arena.
“It’s very important that we show the outside world that we have these kinds of facilities in Africa as well,” Davido said. “We’re really showing people that we can do this ourselves.”
The singer said the global growth of Afrobeats had created more opportunities for African musicians to perform internationally. However, he stressed the importance of maintaining a strong connection with audiences at home.
“Everybody’s going to get a hit and run to America, run to the UK, run to the Middle East and do shows,” he said. “But I feel like bringing everything back home is very important for the culture.”
Davido acknowledged that artists could earn more from international performances but said bringing major productions to Nigeria could still create opportunities for local businesses and workers.
“We might not get paid as much as we get paid overseas,” he said, while stressing that artists could bring the same energy and ambition to Nigerian audiences and create local jobs.
He also advised younger musicians to remain connected to the audiences that supported them before they achieved international recognition.
“Don’t forget where you started,” he said. “These are the fans. If not for these fans, we wouldn’t be here.”
CNN noted that the Lagos residency is among the first of its kind for an Afrobeats artist in Nigeria. Adekunle Gold previously held a smaller residency in Lagos in 2018.