October 19, (THEWILL) – The biggest celebration of Nigerian culture, National Festival For Arts and Culture (NAFEST), has been redefined to woo a diversity of stakeholders within and outside Nigeria.
NAFEST, an annual event of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), has been sighted as a platform for the promotion of arts, culture, and related tourism facilities across Nigerian states.
With the hosting state tagged, ‘Eko NAFEST’ 2022, the organisers foreseen an unimaginable boom in the areas of hotels within the state, tapping into the numerous opportunities provided by the event for growing their business; as the participants with no cost would acquire skills; get employments, among other offerings.
NCAC Director General, Otunba Segun Runsewe, announced today, while noting, he had no doubt from experience that Eko NAFEST, which Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has fully deployed support will break records in adding value to socio-economic development projects of the Lagos State Government.
According to him, ‘Eko NAFEST is a huge platform to create jobs, provide recreation opportunities and services, and one-stop cultural market for start ups in technology, travel, leisure, water and marine tourism.’
Again, Runsewe said, “I have no doubt, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Uzmat Akinbile-Yusuf is with me on this effort, to use this festival to create immediate and future socio-economic cultural tourism future jobs for youths and women residing in Lagos.
He said, ‘In the past five years, NAFEST has been redefined and refocused as the biggest cultural tourism gathering in Nigeria, nay Africa.
Though, showcasing the diversity of Nigeria’s cultural bank, it has been strategically factored as a meeting ground for industry providers and emerging creative markets in travel technology, Insurance, logistics and telecoms.
“Added to these markets are premium job fertilisers and run-the-millstart-ups recreation services in fast food, finger and street foods, fashion and local fabric designers, wellness and stay fit outfits, travel and leisure operators, Hospitality and hotel owners, all with the jobs creation space, contributing to significantly to the tourism economy. All hotels in Surulere are fully booked ahead of the November event.”
“EKO NAFEST, according to NCAC economic desk, may create over three thousand jobs in the festival’s downstream sector, with opportunities for hands-on jobs, in creative free skills acquisition supported by NCAC, thrilling the biggest celebration of Nigerian culture.
No doubt, Lagos is the epicentre of Nigeria’s economic and entertainment industry and to which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will leverage the hosting of the festival to open up real estate opportunities in Lagos, connecting investment possibilities to its five-division local markets and communities, taking messages of cultural tourism jobs to Lagosians.”
Eko NAFEST, notwithstanding, is scheduled for November 7, 2022, through November 13, at the Nigeria National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
About the Author
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
