Detty December 2026: how to plan your month without going broke

Every year the same thing happens. November ends, the flights land, the line-ups drop, and suddenly every weekend in Lagos has four things you can't miss. By the second week of January, a lot of people are staring at their bank app in disbelief.

December in Lagos deserves to be enjoyed properly. It just goes better with a little planning. Here is how we would do it.

Start with a number, not a list

Before you look at a single flyer, decide how much you are happy to spend on going out in December. Write it down. Then split it roughly three ways: tickets, getting around, and everything that happens once you are inside (food, drinks, and the outfit you will definitely buy the week before).

Tickets are usually the smallest part. Rides and drinks are where December quietly eats your money, because prices go up across the city when everyone is out at the same time.

Pick your big nights early

You won't go to everything, and that's fine. Choose the two or three events that matter most to you, the ones you would genuinely be upset to miss, and buy those tickets first. Many organisers sell early bird tickets that are cheaper until a set date, and for the biggest shows the gap between early bird and the final price can be large.

Once the big nights are booked, everything else is a bonus. Decide on the smaller events week by week, depending on how your budget and your energy are holding up.

Look out for passes

Festivals and events that run over several days often sell passes for one day, a weekend or the whole run. If you know you will go more than once, a pass usually works out cheaper than buying each day on its own. On Globiqo, events with day passes show every pass and its price before you pay, so you can compare properly.

Go as a group, pay as a group

Group nights are cheaper in ways that add up. You can share a ride home, split a table instead of buying drinks one at a time, and some organisers give discounts for group bookings.

The awkward part is usually the money. One person buys for everyone and spends January chasing transfers. It is simpler for one person to buy all the tickets in one order and send each ticket to its owner, so nobody is holding five QR codes on one phone at the gate. On Globiqo you can gift tickets to friends by name and email when you buy, or transfer one later, and it lands in their own account. We have a whole guide on sorting tickets for a group.

Plan how you'll move

December traffic is an event of its own. A few things help:

• Leave earlier than feels necessary, especially if you are crossing between the Island and the Mainland.
• Agree on the ride home before you go out, and on who is paying for it.
• Expect ride prices to jump late at night and around the biggest shows. Budget for it so it doesn't catch you off guard.
• Keep some cash on you. Card machines and network don't always cooperate at 2am.

Keep your tickets safe

December is peak season for fake tickets, because demand is high and people are in a hurry. Buy from official links, never accept a screenshot as a ticket, and don't pay strangers into personal accounts for "extra tickets". Our guide on avoiding fake event tickets in Lagos covers the warning signs.

Leave room to rest

This sounds boring until the third night in a row. Plan a few quiet evenings between the big ones. Your body, your voice and your wallet will thank you, and you'll enjoy the nights you do go out a lot more.

Where to find what's on

Line-ups keep changing right up to the end of the month. Globiqo lists events in Lagos and other cities with prices, dates and venues in one place, so you can save the ones you like and keep your tickets on your phone. Open the app, set your city, and start with the weekend you are most excited about.

Have a great December. Spend on the moments, not on the surprises.