Last year, there were 31 galleries represented in the first ever Nigeria International Art Expo, a joint show between the Arts Gallery Association of Nigeria, AGAN, and the National Gallery of Art, NGA. The second edition, which opened last Saturday and will end today has 36 galleries featuring with participation by Grek Art Gallery from Cotonou in Benin Republic. Over 600 artworks are on showcase in a show that seems set to become a key resource in the tourism potentials of Nigeria. President of AGAN, Chief Frank Okonta of Nkem Gallery, assured that the continuing collaboration with the NGA has assured the gallerists that the Expo will not be shortlived. He also said that the event has given Nigerian gallerists much mileage in terms of exposure to the general public than they had ever been able to garner. At the opening, the Director-General of the NGA, Chief Joe Musa, said that the Nigeria Expo has firmed up Nigerian art on the global stage; “there are many art programmers from across the globe now seeking information on how they can participate in the Expo. We now get more invitations from around the world to bring Nigerian art to their own expos. He assured that the Expo will continue to enjoy support from the government in line with the Public-Private partnership principles of the Yar’Adua government. Meanwhile, an even bigger attendance is expected today at the closing ceremony of the Expo holding in the premises of the National Museum Onikan, Lagos.
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