The Arewa Festival attracted 975 businesses across Nigeria’s 19 northern states in its maiden edition, with organisers now planning to raise a ₦500 million fund to support participating businesses as the festival returns for its second edition.
The Convener of the Arewa Festival and Chief Executive Officer of Tripoint Travels LLC, Mrs. Shuhda Muhammed, disclosed this while speaking at the Naija7Wonders Zoom Conference themed “Festivals and Tourism in Nigeria: A New Pathway.”
Muhammed said the Arewa Festival was conceived not merely as a celebration but as a platform that combines tourism, culture, trade, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
She explained that the festival initially emerged from the idea of organising a trade event that could showcase Nigerian businesses and products to the world while promoting the rich cultural heritage of the northern region.
According to her, the festival’s first edition was held simultaneously across all 19 northern states, with coordinators and teams established in each state to ensure that activities took place at the same time.
She said the festival featured cultural celebrations, fashion shows, food carnivals, business exhibitions, masterclasses and panel sessions designed to promote learning, networking and knowledge sharing among entrepreneurs.
“We had 975 businesses in participation last year,” Muhammed said, adding that the organisers expect about 500 businesses to participate in the second edition, which is being planned for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
She explained that the decision to move the festival to Abuja was partly influenced by security concerns and the approaching election season, while the new format would also allow participating businesses from different states to physically interact and establish stronger business connections.
Under the new arrangement, each state will have a dedicated pavilion where its businesses and cultural products will be showcased.
Muhammed said the festival’s second edition would be held under the theme “Culture, Commerce and Capital,” reflecting the organisers’ desire to go beyond cultural exhibitions and provide practical economic opportunities for small businesses operating in tourism and related sectors.
She disclosed that the organisers are working to raise a ₦500 million fund to support businesses participating in the festival, particularly small and emerging enterprises in areas such as food tourism, photography, cultural tourism, business tourism, creative tourism and entrepreneurship.
According to her, the initiative is being financed entirely by the private sector, with no financial support from the public sector, although government involvement may come through endorsements and collaboration.
Muhammed said the approach was deliberate, as she believes privately driven projects have greater potential for continuity and sustainability beyond changes in government or leadership.
She also stressed the need to focus more attention on the economic impact of festivals, noting that tourism events create opportunities for hotels, airlines, tour operators, logistics companies, artisans and other businesses.
She said the Arewa Festival was also designed to bridge economic and business gaps between northern states by connecting entrepreneurs working in similar fields across different locations.
For example, businesses such as photographers operating in Kano, Jigawa and Maiduguri could be connected through the festival to exchange ideas and explore commercial opportunities.
Muhammed said the festival’s broader vision is rooted in the Arewa Tech project, which focuses on rebuilding the economy through key sectors including agriculture, trade, entrepreneurship, education, the creative economy and hospitality.
She recalled that the idea was partly inspired by the decline in cross-border textile trade that once brought visitors from countries such as Chad, Niger and Cameroon to Borno State.
According to her, the collapse of textile-related industries contributed to the decline of trade activities and had wider social and economic consequences.
She said the Arewa Festival therefore seeks to use tourism, cultural heritage and entrepreneurship as tools for economic recovery and development.
The convener also revealed that the festival has created opportunities for international recognition and engagement, with the event officially recognised as a Global Entrepreneurship Week event.
She said prominent international entrepreneurship figures also promoted the festival through video messages, helping to increase its visibility beyond Nigeria.
Muhammed argued that Nigeria has significant untapped tourism opportunities, noting that festivals could play a major role in increasing international visitor numbers if properly packaged and promoted.
She called for stronger destination branding and better promotion of Nigerian festivals, saying immersive experiences could also help correct misconceptions about destinations that are often shaped by hearsay rather than personal experience.
She further advocated stronger private-sector participation in festival tourism, saying the industry should move beyond excessive dependence on government funding.
The Arewa Festival, she said, demonstrates how festivals can combine cultural preservation with commerce, entrepreneurship and tourism development while creating opportunities for Nigerian businesses to grow.
