Morning: nature and coffee
Start at 8am at the Lekki Conservation Centre on Lekki-Epe Expressway. The 401-metre canopy walkway is the reason to come early — by 10am the queues on a Saturday double and the boards get warm underfoot. Entry runs around ₦3,000 for the walkway; the ground trails to see monkeys and the koi pond are cheaper. Give it two hours.
By 10:30 head to Ilashe Coffee or Cafe Neo in Lekki Phase 1 for a proper flat white and eggs. This is your last calm hour of the day, so sit down. Don’t try to squeeze in the Nike Art Gallery before lunch — it deserves its own visit.
Afternoon: art, market, beach
At noon drive to Terra Kulture on Tiamiyu Savage in VI (yes, technically not Lekki, but the Lekki art scene funnels here). Lunch at the restaurant — the jollof and asun combo is reliable — then browse the gallery and bookshop for an hour. Back over the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge by 2:30 for Lekki Arts and Crafts Market on Oba Elegushi Road: bead work, ankara, wood carvings, and hard bargaining.
By 4pm push out to Elegushi Beach or, if you want it quieter, La Campagne Tropicana further east. Sunset over the Atlantic is at roughly 6:45pm year-round. Suya and grilled fish appear on the sand from 5pm.
Evening: where to sleep
Sleep in Lekki Phase 1 — it puts you closest to everything you did today and to tomorrow's flight if you’re leaving. The Wheatbaker is technically Ikoyi but a smart splurge; Radisson Blu Anchorage on VI is another safe pick. For mid-range, Bluebell Hotel or The George in Ikoyi work. Avoid booking anywhere past Chevron toll gate if you have a morning flight — the expressway at 6am is unpredictable and you’ll pay for the gamble.
Bon à savoir
Is one day enough for Lekki?+
For a first taste, yes — conservation centre, one gallery, one market, one beach, one good dinner. To actually understand the area you need two.
Should I hire a driver for the day?+
Yes. A private car with driver runs ₦40,000-₦60,000 for 10 hours and removes the two biggest pains: parking at Elegushi and finding Bolts at 10pm on the expressway.