While the year 2025 has its ups and downs, Sandra Mbanefo-Obiago, founder/CEO, SMO Contemporary Art, is delighted to reflect more on her highest points rather than the lowest points.
In the passing year, Mbanefo-Obiago, who runs institutional art collections and advisory for corporate organisations, and curates major exhibitions, amid representing many global artists in and outside the country, insisted that things really looked up, with some remarkable feats for her and her outfit.
“Our year was filled with wonderful artists, exhibitions, projects, installations, conversations, and tours, marked by incredible partnerships which expanded our creative footprint across Africa,” she enthused.
The Afreximbank Abuja feat
“We were appointed curator through the Afreximbank Art Programme for their newly completed Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC) in Abuja. An appointment secured through a rigorous competitive bid process,” she said excitedly.
According to her, for her company to become a part of the Afreximbank dynamic continental project and team is an incredible privilege.
“We installed Yinka Shonibare’s iconic Wind Sculpture in their foyer, alongside other amazing artworks, celebrating the values and vision of Pan-Africanism that underscores Afreximbank’s corporate leadership.
The collection is a work-in-progress, and we are honored and excited to be working with some of the finest artists from across Africa and the Diaspora. We look forward to sharing collection highlights soon.”
The National Theatre Lagos curatorial feat
After four years of restoring, protecting, and curating over seventy large-scale modernist artworks at the National Theatre in Lagos, the newly refurbished building was opened by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Independence Day this year.
Mbanefo confessed that the visionary private-public partnership, funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee, was a huge milestone in SMO’s curatorial journey and was an important opportunity to showcase the depth and breadth of Nigeria’s artistic heritage.
“SMO curated the artworks and set up an archive of over 1000 important historic objects, including photographs, musical instruments, props, furniture, books, posters, tickets, and much more.
“We were privileged to work with the most significant collection of modernist art held in a public institution in Nigeria today, including works by Erhabor Emokpae, Yusuf Grillo, Isiaka Osunde, Lamidi Fakeye, Felix Idubor, Agbo Folarin, Amos Odion, Ben Osawe, and others,” she explained.
Swelling institutional art collections (First Ally Capital and Access Bank)
Yet, SMO, according to her, has curated and managed a collection of close to a hundred modern and contemporary masterpieces at First Ally Capital, loaned from the Femi Akinsanya Art Collection (FAAC). The partnership, she noted, is a great example of African art patronage, which continues to underscore the benefit and importance of institutional art collections.
Also, Access Bank’s refurbished private bank in Lagos has a wonderful collection of contemporary and modernist paintings, sculptures, and works in ceramic, curated by SMO, as part of developing and managing the important institutional collection in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
Exclusive exhibitions, art fairs
Sole to Soul, an important retrospective of stunning bronze works by Kenny Adewuyi, was a curatorial highlight this year. The thirty-two works, dating back to 1993, included intimate charcoal drawings and small to life-size bronze sculptures, a meditation on the physical and emotional journeys we walk as humans.
The exhibition was held at Temple Muse and was a rare and intimate invitation into the mind, methods, and spiritual essence of a true African master.
“We had the privilege of showcasing masterpieces from across the African continent and the Diaspora at the 10th Art X Lagos fair, with works by Victor Butler, Manyaku Mashilo, Somi Nwandu, Adeniyi Adewole, and Ofunne Azinge. The paintings, sculptures, and lenticular-lens work sparked deep conversations, inviting viewers to sit with history, imagine new futures, and reflect on the evolving rhythms that defined Reflections on Time. It was a standout moment in our year, and we are grateful for the incredible engagement and support from collectors, curators, and art lovers who visited our booth,” she said.
International engagements
We were privileged to take part in numerous conversations this year exploring challenges and opportunities in an ever-evolving global artistic landscape. SMO moderated the opening panel of the Pioneer Africa Basel art fair in Basel, Switzerland. The conversation focused on African art collections and what it takes to sustain them across generations.
Important insights on inheriting, managing, developing, preserving, and documenting their family archives and collections were shared by Carey Godwin, Paul Kalu, and Oliver Enwonwu.
Again, SMO moderated an artist talk with Myles Iwegbuike, artist, designer, and curator of the award-winning Nigeria Pavilion at the 2025 London Design Biennale. The talk explored Myles’ artistic journey and the inspirations behind The Space Between Worlds, a brilliant exhibition curated by Avinash Wadhwani, CEO, Temple Muse CEO and artistic director.
She attributed the many highpoints in 2025 to her team at SMO Contemporary Art, long-standing relationships with notable artists, growing and sustainable partnerships with corporate organisations, as well as the ability of her outfit to exceed clients’ expectations, amid professionalism and advisory roles.
