YABATECH, Ecobank Unveil Lagos Pop-up Museum

Yinka Olatunbosun

In an attempt to push art beyond the walls of galleries and into public consciousness, Ecobank Nigeria and the Yaba Art Museum of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) have jointly launched the inaugural Lagos Pop-up Museum, an expansive citywide programme running from now until February 10, 2026 at Ecobank Pan African Centre, Lagos.

The project, preceded by a press conference at Ecobank’s Lagos headquarters on Tuesday, November 11 was opened on November 8. Positioned as a dynamic cultural platform with exhibitions, performances, workshops, innovation labs, and community engagement sessions, the Lagos Pop-up Museum aims to engage a broad demographic through art, interdisciplinary learning, history, and public interaction.

With support from YABATECH’s departments, national cultural institutions, community partners, and international cultural bodies, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between the town and gown: fusing academic knowledge with civic consciousness while deepening cultural dialogue in the city.

Representing the Managing Director of Ecobank Nigeria, Bolaji Lawal, the bank’s Head of SMEs and Collaborations, Omoboye Odu, described the collaboration as a natural fit, reinforcing the bank’s investment in Africa’s creative economy.

“When art meets innovation and banking provides the glue, magic happens,” she said. “The Lagos Pop-up Museum is not your regular art show. It is a cultural experience designed to engage everyone from art lovers to curious minds. This initiative will unfold like a Netflix series, with exhibitions, workshops, performances and artist talks.”

She added that the partnership aligns with Ecobank’s CSR priorities in education, innovation, sustainability and African identity.

“As a pan-African bank, we believe in platforms that nurture collaboration, entrepreneurship and cultural exchange. Art is an investment, and a powerful driver of unity, innovation and economic growth.”
The initiative also supports Yaba Art Museum’s celebrated “Gown to Town” agenda, which moves classroom creativity into real-world public spaces.

The Art Organising Coordinator of the Yaba Art Museum, Dr. Adeola Balogun, stated that the pop-up museum is only one part of a larger cultural programme running till February 2026.

Dr. Balogun who also represented Yabatech’s Rector, Dr. Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul, noted that the project has been months in the making:

“In the arts world, when you work quietly in your studio, a time comes when the work must be served to the public. We have reached that stage. We need the public, and we need the media, because this project belongs to the community.”

A key component of the exhibition is its Art Adoption scheme, which links art appreciation with micro-philanthropy for student support.

Balogun clarified that the process is transparent, he said, “It is strictly first-come, first-served, based on the official list of students in need. The museum does not handle any money. Ecobank and the YabaTech Bursary Department manage all funds directly.”

Each artwork carries a minimum adoption value of N100,000, representing the cost of sponsoring one student for a session. Donors may give more, but not less.
“If 500 artworks are adopted but 1,000 students are on the list, only the first 500 will benefit,” he explained, stressing the programme’s fairness and simplicity.”

Curatorial Director, Yaba Art Museum, Dr. Odun Orimolade, underscored the museum’s commitment to cultural revival, restitution of knowledge, and reconnecting young Nigerians with their heritage.

“What we are celebrating is information about lost knowledge, forgotten histories, and things we must unlearn and relearn to understand who we truly are,” she said.

She recalled a previous project with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments where students, initially indifferent, began creating T-shirts bearing Gẹ̀lẹ̀dé imagery after learning its cultural meaning. “Restitution is not just about returning objects. It is about restoring knowledge and addressing erasure,” she added.

For Orimolade, the exhibition’s inclusive adoption model is such that donors across all ages can adopt artworks through a blanket pricing system that keeps the process accessible.
One of the standout sections of the exhibition is “Deep Blue,” a visually striking exploration of water consciousness, environmental responsibility, and Lagos’ fragile relationship with its waterways. All artworks in this section were produced by former Yabatech students.
“We chose this theme because many people do not value water systems,” Orimolade explained. “Water is about survival. It should influence the kinds of houses we build in Lagos. We need to care for our waterways, conserve water, and keep our beaches and streams clean.”
Another section, “Mutating Space,” presents a living ecosystem of creativity and innovation designed to evolve throughout the exhibition’s duration.

The Lagos Pop-up Museum features three major anchors: Adoption Hall:where art meets micro-philanthropy for student support; Homecoming: a cultural restitution experience; Drum Up – celebrating FESTAC ’77 at 50 through archival materials.