Lagos ranked among world’s 20 best cities for nightlife

Lagos has been named one of the world’s best nightlife cities, clinching the 14th spot globally and placing second in Africa, just behind Cape Town, South Africa

The ranking was revealed in a recent report by Time Out Magazine, which surveyed thousands of city dwellers and consulted nightlife experts to compile its list of top nightlife destinations around the globe.

According to the report, 79% of Lagos residents rated the city’s nightlife positively.

Lagos outperformed other prominent African cities including Cairo, Egypt, and Marrakech, Morocco, which took the 15th and 19th spots globally, respectively.

Time Out noted that Lagos’ nightlife has evolved from high-end lounges to more inclusive underground rave scenes, highlighting spots like SweatItOutLagos and Our Group Therapy as key to the city’s buzzing nightlife culture.

Responding to the report, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the ranking is a reflection of the working security infrastructure 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 stated.

Omotoso added that the Sanwo-Olu administration is working to formalize tourism events into a calendar, especially those in the last quarter of the year.

He also noted that Lagos will make history this year as the first African city to host the EI (water race) Championship.

“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 said.

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