Street art across Africa has matured from informal, often undocumented expression into a dynamic economic sector.
African Leadership Magazine reports that the global art market in 2024 registered a value of about US$57 billion. The post-war and contemporary art annual value exceeded US$72million.
However, Africa’s share remains modest at under 1 per cent. But it is growing steadily as investors, institutions, and collectors shift from questioning its relevance to recognising its significance. Although the wider art market saw a downturn in 2024, African art has shown both promise and volatility.
Auction sales of modern, post-war, contemporary, and ultra-contemporary works by African-born artists fell from US$197 million in 2022 to US$77.2 million in 2024, yet certain artists have defied the trend. Female artists have also outperformed their male counterparts in recent years.
The digital transformation of the art market is redefining how African street art reaches its audience. More than half of the global collector activity now occurs online. Lower-priced works are making up an increasing share of transactions. Younger, more diverse buyers are being drawn in. Social media platforms and online galleries provide the first introduction to African art for many. They created a direct line between artist and collector without the traditional gallery as intermediary.
Art X Lagos, established in 2016, has grown into West Africa’s most prominent art fair and will mark its tenth edition in 2025. Africa Basel, which debuted in Switzerland the same year, has already placed African street and contemporary artists alongside the world’s leading names, affirming their place in the highest tiers of the art market calendar.
Street art is no longer an artistic statement. It is a driver of urban renewal. Cities such as Accra, Lagos, Johannesburg, and Abidjan have integrated murals and installations into their public planning strategies. In Accra, the Chale Wote Street Art Festival draws tens of thousands of visitors annually, injecting revenue into local hotels, restaurants, and informal traders. Nairobi’s municipal collaborations with artists have turned underpasses, bridges, and neglected walls into curated cultural spaces that foster civic pride while improving pedestrian engagement.
African street art’s rise is intertwined with international cultural policy. UNESCO’s 2025 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions frames creative industries as critical to social cohesion, youth employment, and economic development. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 echoes this stance, positioning cultural and creative sectors as pillars for economic diversification. These frameworks recognise that street art, far from being a peripheral practice, can contribute directly to Sustainable Development Goals related to sustainable cities, inclusive growth, and reduced inequality.
However, the sector faces some structural challenges. Arts infrastructure in much of Africa remains fragmented, with limited formal institutions dedicated to street art preservation, curation, or commercialisation. Funding is inconsistent, and while private collectors are playing a growing role, access to finance for artists remains a hurdle. Regulatory restrictions on public space in some regions also limit the expansion of street art initiatives. Economic instability, inflation, and currency fluctuations add further complexity to sustaining a viable market.
