The ongoing Naija7Wonders Zoom Conference 3.0 continued its exploration of Nigeria’s tourism potential with a compelling presentation by Mrs. Shuhda Muhammed, Chief Executive Officer of Tripoint Travels LLC and Convener of the Arewa Festival, who made a strong case for positioning cultural festivals as catalysts for tourism development, economic growth, and destination branding.
Speaking as a guest presenter during the conference, Mrs. Muhammed delivered a presentation titled “Festivals as Catalysts for Economic Growth, Cultural Preservation & Destination Branding,” where she emphasized that Nigeria’s hundreds of cultural festivals represent one of the country’s most valuable yet underutilized tourism assets. She argued that with the right strategy, investment, and collaboration, festivals can become powerful economic drivers capable of attracting domestic and international visitors while preserving Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.
According to Mrs. Muhammed, festivals extend far beyond entertainment. They serve as platforms that unite communities through culture, music, cuisine, fashion, history, and tradition while creating memorable visitor experiences that encourage repeat travel. Beyond their cultural significance, she noted, festivals stimulate economic activity across hotels, airlines, transport services, restaurants, artisans, and countless small businesses, contributing directly to tourism growth, job creation, local business development, and cultural preservation.
The presentation also highlighted the Seven Wonders of Nigeria, showcasing iconic tourism destinations including Obudu Mountain Resort, Sukur Cultural Landscape, Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove, Idanre Hills, Ogbunike Caves, Benin Moat, and the historic Kano Wall. Mrs. Muhammed explained that Nigeria’s tourism identity is shaped not only by these landmarks but also by its people, traditions, cuisine, festivals, arts, and authentic cultural experiences.
Despite Nigeria hosting hundreds of cultural festivals annually, Mrs. Muhammed observed that only a handful enjoy sustained national or international recognition. She identified limited promotion, weak tourism packaging, inadequate destination branding, and insufficient private-sector investment as key challenges preventing many festivals from evolving into globally competitive tourism products.
Highlighting the growing importance of experiential tourism, she explained that today’s travelers increasingly seek authentic cultural immersion rather than simply visiting destinations. Festival tourism, she noted, creates opportunities for visitors to experience local food, fashion, music, storytelling, arts, and traditions while simultaneously supporting sectors such as hospitality, transportation, agriculture, the creative economy, SMEs, digital media, and investment promotion.
Using the Arewa Festival as a case study, Mrs. Muhammed demonstrated how culture can become a platform for entrepreneurship and regional development. She described the festival as an immersive cultural and commercial experience representing all 19 Northern Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory, designed to promote tourism, empower entrepreneurs, showcase innovation, and celebrate Northern Nigeria’s diverse heritage.
Recognized as an official Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) event, the Arewa Festival features business pitch competitions, panel discussions, cultural showcases, cooking exhibitions, shopping and trade arenas, tourism promotion, sponsorship opportunities, and strategic partnerships. She announced that the 2026 edition will be held under the theme “Culture, Commerce and Capital,” reflecting the festival’s commitment to linking cultural heritage with economic opportunity and investment.
Mrs. Muhammed stressed that sustainable festival tourism requires deliberate collaboration among governments, private-sector organizations, tourism stakeholders, development partners, and host communities. She identified strategic partnerships, community participation, infrastructure development, digital storytelling, and impact measurement as essential pillars for building globally competitive festival destinations.
Concluding her presentation, she described festival tourism as “a new pathway for Nigeria,” capable of increasing tourist arrivals, generating employment, strengthening local economies, and enhancing the country’s international visibility. She urged stakeholders to harness Nigeria’s immense cultural diversity by transforming indigenous festivals into year-round tourism products that attract investment while celebrating the nation’s unique identity.
Mrs. Muhammed’s presentation was part of the ongoing Naija7Wonders Zoom Conference 3.0, which continues to bring together tourism professionals, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and cultural advocates to explore innovative strategies to position Nigeria as one of Africa’s leading tourism destinations through culture, heritage, and sustainable destination development.
By: Sam Opoku
