Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), has been named among the inaugural TIME100 Art, placing Nigeria’s long-running campaign for the recovery of its cultural heritage on one of the world’s most prominent international art platforms.
Holloway was selected in the Leaders category of TIME’s 2026 list, with his recognition linked to his work advocating for the repatriation of Nigerian cultural objects taken abroad, particularly artefacts connected to the historic Benin Kingdom.
The recognition comes at a crucial moment for Nigeria’s cultural heritage efforts, following a series of developments involving the return and transfer of Nigerian objects held by European institutions.
In February 2026, the Netherlands reached an agreement with Nigeria concerning the return of 119 Benin objects. The collection comprised 113 objects from the Dutch State Collection and six held by the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam. The agreement provided for their unconditional return, with the objects subsequently arriving in Nigeria in June.
Another important development came from the University of Cambridge, which announced in February 2026 that ownership of 116 objects in its collections would be transferred to Nigeria. The move followed a formal request submitted in January 2022 and marked a major step in addressing the status of Nigerian cultural materials held overseas. Some of the objects had previously been loaned to the university.
The developments have placed greater attention on the question of Nigerian artefacts in international collections. While some institutions have taken steps towards returning or transferring ownership of objects, others remain constrained by legal and institutional frameworks. The British Museum, for example, has continued to cite restrictions under UK law governing the disposal of objects from its collection.
Holloway’s role at the NCMM has placed him at the centre of Nigeria’s institutional efforts to strengthen its museums, safeguard cultural heritage and pursue the recovery of objects taken from the country. His work has increasingly connected domestic heritage management with international discussions about ownership, restitution and the future stewardship of African cultural collections.
His appointment as Director-General of the NCMM in March 2024 brought him into the leadership of an institution responsible for some of Nigeria’s most important museums, monuments and heritage collections. Since then, the question of how Nigerian heritage is preserved, presented and returned has remained an important part of the institution’s international engagement.
The TIME100 Art recognition therefore comes against the backdrop of tangible developments rather than a single cultural milestone. The return of the Dutch-held Benin objects and the Cambridge ownership transfer represent separate institutional actions, but both have contributed to renewed international attention around Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
TIME100 Art is TIME’s global recognition platform for influential figures shaping the art world. The 2026 edition brings together artists, collectors, curators, cultural leaders and other figures whose work is influencing the direction of the international art landscape.
Holloway is expected to join other honourees at the TIME100 Art celebration in New York on October 5, where this year’s recognised figures will be brought together.
The recognition places a prominent international spotlight on the people and institutions working to preserve the country’s cultural inheritance while strengthening its presence in global conversations about art, museums and heritage.
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