About MOWAA

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) is an independent non-profit institution dedicated to the preservation of heritage, expansion of knowledge and celebration of West African arts and culture.

MOWAA was founded in 2020 as a catalyst for deepening connections between contemporary arts and the rich cultural heritage of West Africa, creating opportunities for African and Diaspora artists and scholars. 

Located in the heart of Benin City, the MOWAA Campus is an ecosystem of buildings and public spaces designed to nurture, inspire, and showcase creatives, artists, scholars, and cultural practitioners. The first building, the MOWAA Institute, is open to the public in November 2025 alongside our inaugural contemporary exhibition Nigeria Imaginary: Homecoming.

MOWAA comprises several core functions, including Curatorial, Conservation, Archaeology, Material Science, Digital Specialists, and Public Programming, reflecting our multidisciplinary approach and deep commitment to shaping the future of arts, heritage management and cultural practice in West Africa. 

Since our inception in 2020, key moments include

  • The MOWAA Archaeology Project: Pre-construction archaeological excavations on the MOWAA site in Benin City, one of the first locally-led commercial archaeology projects in Nigeria 
  • A landmark four-year partnership with the British Museum to advance heritage management and archaeology in Nigeria 
  • Establishing a Digital Heritage Lab to spearhead the digitisation of Nigerian artefacts, including initiatives focused on Ancient Benin such as Moats Mapping and the Plaques Corpus 
  • The publication of an openly accessible 3D Digitisation Toolkit
  • Leading preservation efforts for national monuments and landmark Nigerian Modernist paintings for international exhibitions 
  • Organising the Nigeria Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale Nigeria Imaginary in 2024 
  • Securing a partnership with the French Embassy in Nigeria to bolster heritage preservation and training in the sector 
  • The launch of an annual community tree planting initiative for MOWAA's forthcoming Rainforest Garden with over 2,000 indigenous trees 
  • An annual Futures of Archaeology seminar — a two-day event dedicated to advancing archaeological research and fostering collaboration across West Africa 

About Benin City

Located approximately 30 minutes by air or a 3-and-a-half-hour drive from Lagos, Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State. It sits on a branch of the Benin River and lies along key transport corridors connecting Lagos to Nigeria’s eastern states.

Benin City is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in West Africa. Once the seat of a powerful kingdom renowned for its artistry, diplomatic reach, and sophisticated walled-city urban design, it remains a vital nexus of heritage and innovation. Today, the city is undergoing a cultural and infrastructural revival aimed at reclaiming its role as West Africa’s cultural capital. A regenerated urban zone is emerging in the historic centre, designed to support a vibrant ecosystem of creativity, scholarship, and enterprise.

MOWAA leadership