In Nigerian art, masks are primarily used for:

In Nigerian art, masks are primarily used for festivals and rituals. Across the diverse cultures of Nigeria, masks serve as essential elements in religious ceremonies, initiation rites, funeral proceedings, harvest celebrations, and other communal rituals. They are believed to embody spirits, ancestors, or supernatural forces, and the masquerader who wears the mask is understood to become a vessel for these spiritual entities during the performance.

Among the Yoruba, Egungun masquerades honour ancestral spirits and appear during annual festivals. The Igbo have Mmanwu masquerades associated with various ceremonies. The Ejagham/Ekoi people created the famous skin-covered masks for Ekpe society rituals. The Ibibio are known for Ekpo society masks used in ceremonies to honour the dead. In each case, the mask is inseparable from a ritual or festival context.

While masks may incidentally serve a decorative purpose when displayed outside their original context (for example, in museums or homes), their primary traditional function is ceremonial, not decorative. They are not made for school performances, toy-making, or purely ornamental purposes in their traditional cultural setting.