The top 2
1) Lekki Arts & Crafts Market, next to the Conservation Centre — bronze heads, adire fabric, wood carvings, Tuareg jewellery from the Sahel, drums, masks. Around 100 stalls under a covered arcade. Prices start at four times the fair price; halve the first quote and negotiate from there. Best day: Saturday afternoon when stalls compete for the weekend crowd. 2) Lekki-Epe fish market at Oluwo — the freshest fish on the peninsula, delivered by boat from the lagoon. Get there by 8am for the day's catch. Bring a cooler and cash.
The Arts & Crafts Market is the single best souvenir stop in Lagos, full stop. The quality is variable but the ceiling is high, and the vendors know their stock — ask about provenance and you’ll get real answers. The fish market is a working market, not a tourist one, which is exactly why it's on this list. Wear closed shoes.
3 and 4
3) Addide and Ebeano supermarkets — not markets in the strict sense, but the closest thing Lekki has to a proper weekly food shop, with local produce, imported goods and a butcher counter. Ebeano's Circle Mall branch has the widest selection. 4) The evening night market on the service road parallel to Admiralty — informal, mostly street food, phone accessories and pirated films. Fun after 8pm but not somewhere to spend serious money.
Skip the mall souvenir shops entirely. The markup is 200% on Arts & Crafts Market prices and the selection is worse. Skip any market a hotel concierge recommends without prompting — they usually get commission. And if a vendor at Arts & Crafts hands you a card claiming to be Nike Okundaye's official supplier, walk away. Nike's gallery is 15 minutes down the road.
Bon à savoir
Do markets take card?+
Arts & Crafts vendors mostly accept transfers now. Fish market is cash only. Bring naira in small denominations.
How much should I budget?+
A good adire piece is ₦15,000-30,000 after bargaining. A bronze head is ₦25,000-60,000. Fish market: a whole croaker for around ₦4,000.