What is Detty December? The meaning, and how to join a virtual one

Detty December is the name for the festive season in Nigeria, and above all in Lagos, when December turns into a month of concerts, parties, weddings, beach days and nights out. It runs through December and into the first weeks of January. If you have Nigerian friends, you have probably seen the phrase all over your timeline from late November.

What does “detty” mean?

“Detty” is Nigerian Pidgin for “dirty”, but here it has nothing to do with dirt. It means letting loose: carefree, unrestrained fun at the end of the year. A Detty December is a December spent enjoying yourself without apology.

Where does the name come from?

Nobody agrees exactly. One popular account, repeated in Al Jazeera's reporting, credits the Nigerian singer Mr Eazi, who used it as a hashtag for a Lagos concert in 2016, after which the name caught on. Others point to older traditions, such as the Calabar Carnival or simply Lagos nightlife at the end of the year. What is certain is that by the late 2010s the phrase was everywhere.

Ghana has its own December season too. Its 2019 Year of the Return campaign invited the African diaspora to visit, and Accra has competed with Lagos for December visitors ever since. Both cities claim the title.

What is an IJGB?

IJGB stands for “I Just Got Back”. It is the affectionate, sometimes teasing nickname for Nigerians who live abroad, in London, Houston, Toronto and beyond, and fly home for the holidays. Much of the December energy comes from them: family reunions, weddings timed for when everyone is home, and friends who have not seen each other all year.

What actually happens during Detty December?

• Concerts and shows, often several a night across the city.
• Beach days and carnivals, with music and food.
• Weddings and family parties, often running for days.
• Bars, restaurants and clubs, busy until morning.

The other side of December

It is not all fun. Al Jazeera reports roads blocked for hours and businesses raising prices in December, and some residents feel priced out of their own city. People who live in Lagos year-round sometimes blame visitors for it. Any honest description of Detty December includes the traffic.

How to join a virtual Detty December

If you cannot make it to Lagos, there is a virtual Detty December you can join from anywhere, for free. AJ Cities is an open-world browser game set on the edge of Ajegunle, Lagos, and its party mode is a live, virtual Lagos night with other real players. It is a virtual event inside the game, not a real one: no real venue, date or ticket.

You make a character, talk your way past the police at the estate gate (most guests who ask get in free), and head for Prizm, where the artist Joe-Izzy plays every night from 9 pm Lagos time. There is a beach party, an estate radio that plays the same song for everyone at once, and people to talk to. It runs on a phone or a computer, with nothing to download. 18+.

See the virtual party, or read how to join a virtual Detty December, step by step.

What does Detty December mean?

It is the name for the festive season in Nigeria, especially Lagos, when December fills up with concerts, parties, weddings and nights out. “Detty” is Pidgin for “dirty”, meaning carefree fun.

When is Detty December?

Through December and into the first weeks of January.

What does IJGB mean?

“I Just Got Back”: the nickname for Nigerians who live abroad and come home for the holidays.

Is there a virtual Detty December?

Yes. AJ Cities, a free browser game set in Lagos, has a live virtual party you can join from anywhere. It is an in-game event, not a real one.