New Afrika Shrine — Fela Kuti's Afrobeat Temple, Lagos

The New Afrika Shrine is a live music venue in the Ikeja district of Lagos, established by Femi Kuti — son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti — as a continuation of his father's legendary original Shrine, which burned down in a 1977 military raid on the Kalakuta Republic compound. Fela's Shrine was not merely a nightclub but a political and cultural institution: a space where Afrobeat, an explosive fusion of jazz, funk, and Yoruba music, was played to capacity crowds while Fela delivered extended, often scandalous critiques of the Nigerian government and military from the stage. The original Shrine became one of the most famous venues in Africa during the 1970s.

The New Afrika Shrine carries that legacy forward with regular performances by Femi Kuti and his band Positive Force, as well as appearances by Made Kuti — Fela's grandson — and guest artists from across Africa and the diaspora. The venue functions as a community space, a museum of sorts (with photographs and memorabilia of Fela's life and career), and an active concert hall. Live performances typically take place on Fridays and Saturdays and tend to run late into the night in the Afrobeat tradition of extended, dance-inducing sets.

For visitors to Lagos, the New Afrika Shrine is one of the most compelling live music experiences available anywhere in West Africa, and one of the few heritage venues where the music being played is directly descended — by blood as much as by influence — from the art form created there. The Ikeja area is accessible from central Lagos and most of the city's airport hotels, and the Shrine is generally considered safe for international visitors who exercise standard urban caution.