Tourism Boom: Lagos Invests Over $20M in a Year

The Lagos State Government, via the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, has invested a total of N8,475,238,265.00 in numerous cultural events and festivals over the course of a single year. The initiative aims to enhance the discovery of local talent, create employment opportunities, and foster an vibrant ecosystem.

Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, the State Commissioner for Arts and Culture, announced this on Wednesday during her speech at the 2025 Annual Ministerial Press Conference. The event took place at Alausa, Ikeja, coinciding with the governor's Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration’s second-year anniversary of his second term.

Benson-Awoyinka stated that her ministry, via the Creative Arts Department, has supported more than 143 festivals, events, and programs since May 2024, using the allocated funds. She also mentioned that the ministry has provided endorsement letters to approximately 124 creative professionals to assist them in obtaining sponsorships for their respective projects.

As she stated, this substantial investment underscores the ministry’s steadfast dedication to establishing Lagos as the premier center for arts, culture, and entertainment across Africa. She mentioned that these funded projects encompass community festivals, cultural displays, entertainment happenings, fashion weeks, art exhibits, sector interactions, youth development forums, and international tourism conferences.

She mentioned that every initiative played a crucial role in fostering cultural conservation, boosting economic activity, generating employment opportunities, attracting tourists, and increasing international media coverage. This simultaneously strengthened Lagos’s reputation as a thriving hub for creativity and positioned it as one of Africa’s liveliest cultural hotspots.

The Ministry’s Creative Arts Department has supported more than 143 festivals, events, and programs since May 2024, providing around ₦8,475,238,265.00 exclusively.

Furthermore, the ministry has provided endorsement letters to more than 124 creatives to aid them in securing sponsorships for their different projects.

This significant investment underscores the Ministry's steadfast dedication to establishing Lagos as the premier center for arts, culture, and entertainment across Africa.

The endorsed projects encompass community festivals, cultural displays, entertainment gatherings, fashion weeks, art exhibits, industrial interactions, youth development forums, and international tourism conferences.

"Every initiative plays a crucial role in conserving culture, boosting the economy, generating jobs, attracting tourists, and increasing international media attention — thus strengthening Lagos's image as a thriving center for creativity and one of Africa's liveliest cultural hubs," said the commissioner.

Benson-Awoyinka highlighted several events and festivals such as the Brazilian Descendant Arts & Culture Association (BDACA) event, Lagos Shopping Festival, Twin Fest Africana celebration, Groove and Food Festival, Nigeria Soup Festival, launch of TM Perfume, Sango World Festival, Kenny Saint Ogungbe concert, Ede Mi Asa Mi festival, and the Africa Fashion Designers Award, amongst others.

The commissioner mentioned that the ministry keeps advancing through this significant collection of investments and collaborations. They continue to boost the development of the creative sector, support cultural business owners, advocate for heritage preservation, and broaden Lagos’s international presence as a flourishing center for tourism and culture.

She emphasized that the significant accomplishments and benchmarks achieved by the ministry over the past year serve as evidence of the current government's steadfast dedication to transforming Lagos into the leading center for creativity and tourism in Africa.

Benson-Awoyinka noted that, within its strategic framework, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture remains committed to consistently interacting with major players in the industry. This ongoing dialogue aims at evaluating the current status of tourism, pinpointing critical issues, and seeking practical ways for government support and involvement.

She mentioned that this method guaranteed that the policy guidance stayed inclusive, evidence-based, and consistent with the challenges encountered by professionals in the field. She highlighted that throughout the last year, the ministry had enhanced its collaborative bond with participants from different sectors within the tourism sector.

We have continually evolved and fine-tuned our policies to create a structure supporting tourism initiatives within Lagos State. Additionally, we've launched significant programs and ventures aimed at improving the experiences of both locals and tourists alike, thereby actively aiding in the achievement of the fifth objective under the THEMES Plus initiative.

"In keeping with this aim, the ministry interacted with prominent figures from the industry, such as Mr. Nkereweum Onung, who serves as the president of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), and Mrs. Bolaji Mustapha, the leader of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP)," she stated.

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