Zuma Rock hosts plein air week until 7 November
Published on 11/07/2026 at 11:32 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSProgramme and landscape setting
- The organisers place Zuma Plein Air Week beneath the monolith from 2 to 7 November 2026.
- The 7 November programme includes a wet paint exhibition, awards ceremony and closing celebration.
- Nigeria’s Central Bank shows Zuma Rock on the back of the N100 note introduced in 1999.
Zuma Rock is the setting for Zuma Plein Air Week, an outdoor painting convention running from 2 to 7 November 2026 near Abuja, Nigeria. The programme brings artists and cultural institutions to the monolith and ends on 7 November with an exhibition, awards ceremony and closing celebration.
Zuma Plein Air Week reaches its final programme day
The event organisers describe Zuma Plein Air Week as Nigeria’s first outdoor painting convention. The programme began on 2 November with artist arrivals, registration and canvas stamping, followed by a welcome reception.
The location-specific programme then moved through several stages. On 3 November, artists were scheduled to paint at the base of the monolith, while 4 November focused on Abuja architecture. Sunset and nocturne sessions followed on 5 November, and a quick draw competition with public viewing was listed for 6 November.
The closing programme on 7 November is the Grand Exhibition and Gala. The organisers say the wet paint exhibition opens that day, alongside an awards ceremony, collector previews and a closing celebration. The event page also says that the week is endorsed by the National Gallery of Art and supported by Alliance Française Nigeria. The organiser’s programme for Zuma Plein Air Week places the event beneath the rock and lists each day.
Zuma Rock gives the programme its natural subject
The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation places the granite formation along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway in Niger State, close to the Federal Capital. Its tourism page describes the rock as a giant granite formation and records its traditional association with the Gwari people, who used the site for defensive purposes during inter-tribal wars.
That setting gives the painting week a direct link between its programme and its venue. The 3 November paint-out is not simply an indoor art event near Abuja: the published schedule places artists at the base of the monolith, where the landscape itself becomes the subject. The ministry’s tourism description of Zuma Rock identifies the site as a natural attraction beside the main road.
The formation also has a national visual role beyond the event. The Central Bank of Nigeria states that the back of the N100 note carries a picture of the landmark. The note was introduced in December 1999, connecting the landscape shown during the painting week with a familiar symbol of Nigerian currency. The bank’s N100 note description confirms the image and the rock’s location in Niger State near the Federal Capital.
Visiting Zuma Rock: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The event runs from 2 to 7 November 2026, with the published programme placing the Grand Exhibition and Gala at Zuma Rock on 7 November.
- Public viewing is specifically listed for the quick draw competition on 6 November. The closing day includes an exhibition, awards ceremony, collector previews and a closing celebration.
- The landmark is along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway in Niger State, near Abuja. The site is reached by road from the Federal Capital, but the event page does not provide a visitor shuttle or named public transport connection.
- Zuma Rock is a large granite formation associated with the surrounding savanna landscape. The published programme places the paint-out at its base, so visitors should follow any on-site access directions for the event.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Zuma Rock
When does Zuma Plein Air Week take place at Zuma Rock?
The event runs from 2 to 7 November 2026. Its published final-day programme is scheduled for 7 November 2026.
Where is Zuma Rock and how do you get there?
The formation is along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway in Niger State, near Abuja. The published information identifies road access but does not name a shuttle or public transport connection.
What is Zuma Rock?
It is a giant granite formation and natural tourist site near the Federal Capital. The Central Bank of Nigeria also shows it on the back of the N100 note introduced in 1999.
