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| L-R: Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, Chairman, Access Holdings and Coronation Group; Karin Hindsbo, Director, Tate Modern; Ngozi Akinyele, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Coronation Group; and Amaechi Okobi, Chief Communications Officer, Access Holdings, at the Opening Reception for Nigerian Modernism Exhibition, sponsored by Access Holdings and Coronation Group, at Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom … recently. |
A new chapter in African art history opened this week at Tate Modern, London, with the unveiling of Nigerian Modernism — a landmark exhibition made possible through a partnership between Access Holdings Plc and Coronation Group.
The exhibition, which officially opened with a grand reception at Tate Modern, celebrates Nigeria’s pivotal contribution to global modern art and runs from October 2025 to May 2026.
Bringing together 50 artists and 250 works, Nigerian Modernism traces the evolution of Nigeria’s modern art movement from the 1940s to the 1980s, spanning the late colonial era through independence. The collection showcases paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, and poetry that helped shape global perceptions of African creativity.
Among the works on display are seven wooden sculptures by Ben Enwonwu, commissioned in 1960 for the Daily Mirror in London and now part of the Access Holdings Art Collection. Once symbols of a newly independent nation asserting its identity, these sculptures return to the UK as powerful emblems of cultural heritage and reclamation — owned, curated, and championed by Nigerians.
This groundbreaking partnership between Access Holdings, Coronation Group, and Tate Modern underscores a shared commitment to celebrating Africa’s creative excellence and ensuring that Nigerian modernists such as Ben Enwonwu, Uzo Egonu, and Ladi Kwali take their rightful place in the global art narrative.
“This collaboration is a statement of confidence in Africa’s creative excellence,” said Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, Chairman of Access Holdings and Coronation Group. “We see culture as both legacy and opportunity — a way to strengthen our identity, empower future generations, and place African narratives at the heart of global conversations.”
“Seeing our Nigerian art on the walls of Tate Modern filled me with indescribable pride. It felt like home had travelled — like Nigeria itself was being celebrated in the heart of London, and the world bore witness,” said Amaechi Okobi, Chief Communications Officer, Access Holdings.
Beyond the exhibition, both organisations are extending their cultural impact through educational programming and youth engagement initiatives. Access Holdings and Coronation Group also sponsored a student tour at Tate Modern, offering young Africans in the UK an opportunity to engage directly with their country’s artistic heritage while fostering cultural exchange and creative learning.
“The opening of Nigerian Modernism was the largest in Tate’s 25-year history,” said Ngozi Akinyele, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Coronation Group. “That signals the scale and significance of our partnership with Tate. We are stewarding a renaissance in African art — just as we’ve seen in music, film, and fashion — a renaissance restoring dignity and belonging for a generation that must carry our story forward.”
Access Holdings continues to demonstrate leadership in supporting the creative ecosystem through its corporate art collection, which houses seminal works by Nigerian modernists, and through its support of cultural education programmes that promote heritage appreciation and artistic development among young people.
Coronation Group, through its Coronation Art Galleries, promotes the appreciation of modern and contemporary African art and supports the preservation of Benin Bronzes in partnership with national institutions.
Together, Access Holdings and Coronation Group exemplify how modern finance and modern art intersect to drive a shared vision of cultural pride, innovation, and global recognition.