Nigeria’s vast cultural diversity and rich festival heritage could become the country’s next major economic frontier if properly structured, branded and marketed, tourism stakeholders have said.
Delivering a thought-provoking presentation during the ongoing Seven Wonders of Nigeria Zoom Conference 3.0 on June 19, 2026, veteran tourism journalist and multiple award-winning tourism advocate, Prince Wale Olapade, declared that Nigeria possesses all the ingredients needed to emerge as Africa’s leading cultural tourism destination.
However, he warned that poor coordination, inadequate branding, weak data systems and lack of long-term planning continue to prevent the country from fully harnessing its enormous tourism potential.
“Nigeria is the people the world is waiting for in terms of culture, festival and tourism. But we have not really put our acts together, and that is why we are where we are today,” Olapade stated.
Over 350 Festivals, One Untapped Goldmine
According to Olapade, Nigeria boasts more than 350 festivals, a figure that could be significantly higher considering the country’s more than 250 ethnic nationalities, many of which maintain unique cultural celebrations.
From the famed Durbar Festival in Kano State to the globally recognised Carnival Calabar in Cross River State, and the sacred Osun-Osogbo Festival in Osogbo, Nigeria’s festival landscape remains one of the most diverse on the continent.
“Every month in Nigeria is a festival month,” he remarked, stressing that no other African country can readily claim such year-round cultural vibrancy.
Yet, despite this abundance, many festivals remain under-promoted and poorly monetised.
Branding Beyond the Main Event
A major theme of Olapade’s presentation centred on festival branding.
He argued that successful festivals must extend beyond a single-day celebration by incorporating three critical phases: pre-event activities, the main festival and post-event experiences.
According to him, this model ensures sustainability, increases visitor spending and strengthens brand equity.
Using Carnival Calabar as a case study, Olapade praised organisers for developing month-long experiences through festival villages, entertainment hubs and ancillary events that keep visitors engaged before and after the carnival.
He urged other iconic festivals such as the Argungu Fishing Festival, Durbar Festival, Osun-Osogbo Festival and various New Yam celebrations across southeastern Nigeria to adopt similar models.
Domestic Tourism Must Come First
The tourism expert emphasised that sustainable international tourism can only flourish when domestic tourism is first strengthened.
He cited the remarkable growth of the Ojude Oba Festival as evidence that a festival can transcend its origins and become a people’s movement.
READ: Africa: Nigerian Festivals Need Documentation, Education to Survive Future Generations — Says Justina Ovat
“Ojude Oba has come of age. The festival can now stand on its own because it has become a festival of the people,” he noted.
Olapade observed that while many Nigerians readily travel for holidays, relatively few travel specifically for cultural experiences. To reverse this trend, he advocated for the creation of a National Festival Calendar that would clearly communicate festival dates, locations, accommodation options and travel routes.
Such a calendar, he said, would enable tourists to plan trips well in advance and encourage regional festival circuits.
Building Festival Circuits and Partnerships
One of the more innovative proposals presented involved establishing festival circuits across neighbouring states.
For example, visitors attending Carnival Calabar could be encouraged to explore cultural attractions and events in nearby Akwa Ibom State and other South-South destinations, thereby extending visitor stays and boosting regional economies.
He further recommended subsidised interstate travel during festival periods through strategic partnerships involving airlines, rail operators and road transport companies.
“All these stakeholders form part of the tourism value chain and must be involved from the planning stage,” he stressed.
Heritage Preservation, Data and Digital Promotion
Olapade also expressed concern over the gradual erosion of traditional practices as younger generations migrate to urban centres.
He called for urgent documentation of rituals, oral traditions, music, costumes and indigenous histories associated with festivals.
The tourism editor lamented the absence of reliable tourism statistics in Nigeria, describing data as the backbone of modern experiential tourism.
READ: Tourism: Nigeria’s Argungu Fishing Festival Faces Sustainability Threat, Warns Former NIHOTOUR DG Nura Kangiwa
According to him, fragmented information held separately by hotels, airlines, restaurants and event organisers has made effective planning difficult.
“Data is the main thing in experiential tourism. If your data is not right, there is no way you can properly plan for future events,” he said.
He equally encouraged organisers to embrace digital innovation by livestreaming festivals, selling digital access passes and deploying short-form content across social media platforms to attract younger global audiences.
Positioning Nigeria as Africa’s Cultural Capital
Looking ahead, Olapade maintained that Nigeria possesses the volume, diversity and cultural assets necessary to become Africa’s foremost cultural tourism destination.
Achieving this vision, however, will require coordinated branding, infrastructure improvements, streamlined licensing procedures, enhanced security, cleaner festival environments and aggressive international marketing.
He also called for stronger partnerships with organisations such as UNESCO and the African Union to position Nigerian festivals within broader continental tourism initiatives.
“If 15 to 20 festivals can achieve just 20 per cent of the impact of Carnival Calabar, Nigeria could create thousands of jobs, generate significant foreign exchange and establish a globally respected cultural brand,” he concluded.
As discussions continue at the Seven Wonders of Nigeria Zoom Conference 3.0, stakeholders appear united on one point: Nigeria’s cultural festivals represent not merely celebrations, but a strategic economic asset capable of reshaping the nation’s tourism future.
By: Sam Opoku
