The President/Chief Executive Officer of Africa Finance Corporation, Samaila Zubairu, says the support for the +234Art Fair aligned with the Corporation’s commitment to empowering and elevating the continent’s youth.
Zubairu said this in a statement issued on Monday in the lead-up to the five-day event, titled ‘Championing Patronage in Nigerian Art.’
AFC is the leading infrastructure solutions provider in Africa and has announced its support for the international art fair by coming on as a partner for the second year in a row.
+234Art Fair is organised by Soto Gallery in collaboration with Ecobank Nigeria Limited, AFC, and Craneburg Construction Company.
Zubairu said, “The +234Art Fair aligns with AFC’s advocacy strategy of empowering and elevating Africa’s youthful population, thereby fostering job creation, skills development, value retention, and rapid economic growth. We are proud to continue our collaboration with Ecobank to help drive Africa’s creative industry forward by creating a catalyst for promoting African art and artists locally and on the global stage.”
Managing Director and Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, Bolaji Lawal, added, “As a pan-African bank, this fair is an important initiative in our commitment to economic growth and investing in Africa’s next generation of talent. It offers emerging artists a unique opportunity to showcase their works to key decision-makers, influencers, and a global audience.”
Meanwhile, the founder of +234 Art Fair and Soto Gallery Foundation, Mrs. Tola Akerele, emphasised, “Patronage in the art world goes beyond financial support; it’s about building relationships that allow artists to grow and sustain their creative practices. The 2025 edition of the +234 Art Fair aims to show how meaningful support can impact an artist’s journey and the broader art ecosystem, fostering essential connections along the way.”
The five-day event will feature the works of emerging and un-galleried artists. The fair will run from March 27 to 31 at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, located at 270B1, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, starting daily at 10:00 am.