Northern Nigeria tourism advocate and tour guide, Lurwan Ishaq Hadejia, popularly known as Barrygraphy, has called for urgent reforms in visa processing and festival management to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s tourism industry. Hadejia made the call while speaking as a guest at the Naija7Wonders Zoom Conference themed “Festivals & Tourism in Nigeria: A New Pathway.”
Drawing from his experience hosting both domestic and international tourists, Hadejia described festivals as one of Nigeria’s strongest tourism assets, capable of attracting visitors, preserving culture and generating economic opportunities for local communities. According to him, modern travellers are increasingly seeking authentic cultural experiences rather than passive sightseeing, making festivals an important tool for destination development. “Festivals are not just celebrations; they are living expressions of our identity. They showcase our history, traditions, food, music and way of life,” he said.
Using the Durbar Festival as an example, Hadejia explained that tourists who are allowed to participate actively in cultural events often leave with more memorable experiences than those who simply observe from the sidelines. He recounted hosting visitors from different countries during a recent Durbar celebration, where tourists were given the opportunity to wear traditional regalia, ride horses and participate in the festivities. “They were excited because they became part of the festival. Today’s travellers want authenticity. They want to connect with local communities, hear stories, understand cultures and participate in meaningful experiences,” he noted.
Beyond cultural preservation, Hadejia said festivals create economic opportunities across the tourism value chain, benefiting hotels, transport operators, tour companies, artisans, guides, food vendors and local residents. However, he warned that several challenges continue to limit Nigeria’s ability to maximise the tourism potential of its festivals. One of the major obstacles, he said, is the difficulty international visitors face in obtaining Nigerian visas. According to him, several tourists planning trips to Nigeria have encountered delays and technical challenges during the application process.
“Even now, I have tourists who want to come to Nigeria, but they are still struggling with visa processing. Some have sent emails and are waiting for responses. These issues discourage potential visitors,” he said. Hadejia also highlighted concerns over access and pricing at some cultural events, particularly the traditional Hausa boxing spectacle known as Dambe, which has become increasingly popular among foreign visitors. He lamented what he described as excessive and inconsistent charges imposed on tourists, photographers and content creators seeking to document the event.
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“Dambe has enormous tourism potential. People travel from Europe and America specifically to experience it. But sometimes organisers ask for unreasonable amounts of money just to take photographs or videos,” he said. He recalled an instance where an American visitor was reportedly asked to pay as much as ₦300,000 for documentation access, a demand he described as damaging to the event’s global appeal. According to him, such practices undermine efforts to promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage internationally and discourage travel content creators who could help showcase local festivals to global audiences.
“Sometimes we complain about a lack of promotion, but when people with platforms come to promote our festivals, they are denied access or charged excessive fees. We need to rethink that approach,” he said. Hadejia urged tourism stakeholders, festival organisers and government authorities to work together to create a more visitor-friendly environment, standardise access procedures and improve destination marketing. He argued that with proper management, festivals such as Durbar, Dambe and other cultural celebrations across Nigeria could become major tourism attractions capable of drawing thousands of international visitors annually and generating significant economic benefits for host communities.
