In the past five years, the National festival of Arts and Culture, has been redefined and refocused as the biggest cultural tourism gathering in Nigeria, nay Africa.
Though showcasing the diversity of Nigeria’s cultural repository, 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 mill 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 significantly to the tourism economy. All hotels in Surulere are fully booked ahead of the November event.
EKO Nafest, according to the 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.
Lagos is the epicentre of Nigeria’s economic and entertainment industry, which Governor Babajide sanwo-0lu will leverage on 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.
NCAC Director General, Otunba Segun Runsewe, said Eko Nafest would serve as a huge platform to create jobs, provide recreation opportunities and services, and a one-stop cultural market for startups in technology, travel, leisure and water and marine tourism.
“I have no doubt from experience that Eko Nafest, which governor Babajide sanwo-0lu has fully supported, will break records in adding values to socioeconomic development projects of Lagos State government. The state Commissioner for Tourism, Mrs Uzmat Akinbile Yusuf, is with me on this effort, to use this festival to create immediate and future socioeconomic cultural tourism future jobs for youths and women in Lagos,” he said.
Eko Nafest runs through November 7th and 13th at the National Institute for Sports grounds inside the gigantic Nigeria National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.