Festivals in Nigeria reflect Nigeria's ethnic and cultural diversity with some traditions dating back to periods before the arrival of major religions. The Christian festivals and Islamic festivals are often celebrated in ways that are unique to Nigeria or unique to the people of a locality. The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation works with state governments to promote traditional festivals, highlighting their potential as sources of tourism revenue. There are more than 365 festivals in Nigeria, according to the former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed. The Nigerian Government is working to convert these festivals into a way of showcasing and boosting the country's diverse cultural output.
List of festivals in Nigeria
Book festivals Port Harcourt Book Festival Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) Kaduna Book And Art Festival (KABAFEST) Aké Arts and Book Festival Nigeria International Book Fair (NIBF) Chinua Achebe Literary Festival
Film festivals in Nigeria
Abuja International Film Festival Africa International Film Festival (film) Eko International Film Festival (film) Kaduna International Film Festival (film) African Smartphone International Film Festival (film) Lights, Camera, Africa! Village Arts & Film Festival (VILLAFFEST)
Music festivals in Nigeria
Baràà Ma Jalàm Festival Calabar Carnival Carniriv Felabration Gidi Culture Festival Kamti Festival Star Mega Jam Nupe Day Festival Rhythm Unplugged Lagos International Jazz Festival (LIJF) Livespot X Festival NATIONS RHYTHM FESTIVAL, Nigeria Mainland BlockParty
Art Festivals In Nigeria Life In My City Art Festival Things Fall Apart Festival
Cultural festivals in Nigeria
Amaseikumor Festival Omabe Festival Afan National Festival The Afro Street Festival Njuwa Fishing Festival Nwonyo Fishing Festival Ikeji Arondizuogu Festival Agila Social and Economic Carnival Akata Benue Fishing Festival Annang Festival of Art and Culture Argungu Fishing Festival Ovia-Osese Festival Ayet Atyap annual cultural festival Ariginya Festival Aworoko Festival Badagry Festival Bala Baràà ma Jalàm cultural festival Bauchi State Festival of Arts and Culture Carniriv Festival Durbar festival Osun-Osogbo Festival Eyo festival Egwu Ogba FESTAC 77 Golibe Festival Kaiama Gani Festival Gidi Culture Festival Igogo Festival Igue Festival Imo Carnival Sharo Festival Imo Awka festival Ikeji Arondizuogu Ijakadi Festival, common to the people of Offa town Iromo Festival in Igede Ekiti King Koko Festival Lagos Black Heritage Festival Leboku Machina Annual Cultural Festival (MACUF) Nibo Carnival Nchaka Festival Nollywood Cultural Heritage Festival Nupe Day Festival Kayo-Kayo Festival Opu Nembe Festival Opobo Nwaotam Festival Ofala Festival Ogwashi Ukwu Carnival Ojude Oba festival Olojo Festival Oro Festival Lagos Carnival Unyeada fishing festival Osori Osos Oronna Festival Sango Festival Songs of Nigeria Festival (SONIFES) Yam Festival New Yam Festivals in Nigeria Ocho Festival Ogani Festival Common to the Igala people of Kogi state, specifically those from the Ankpa axis Ito Ogbo festival Mmanwu Festival Ijele Festival Mbà Boli Festival Mambilla, Taraba State, Nigeria. Celebrated annually in November and serially across the Mambilla Plateau. It marks the completion of the maize harvest (kuum-ngwuoni) and Thanksgiving. Mbà Katii Festival, Mambilla, Taraba State, Nigeria. This is celebrated in December and goes around the Mambilla Plateau. All Mambilla Cultural festivals are serial festivals that move from one village to another on the minor Sabbath of the next village in the series.
Other Lagos Games Festival (LGF) Lagos Photo Festival Mr Hobby Appreciation Festival Potiskum Writers Association Schools Festival (POWASFEST) Tiger Street Food Festival Bole Festival
Book festivals
Port Harcourt Book Festival
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The Port Harcourt Book Festival is an annual literary event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, organized by the Rainbow Book Club and endorsed by the Rivers State Government since 2008. The Garden City Literary Festival, which is currently known as the Port Harcourt Book Festival, was founded by Governor Amaechi of Rivers State, Hundreds of literary fans flock to the Garden City every year for this six-day event, which includes a book fair, writers' workshops, and a variety of other activities. In the past, the Festival has been attended by renowned authors and hosted celebrities.
Koko Kalango founded the festival as an initiative to increase tourism numbers and heighten literacy awareness in the city of Port Harcourt and its neighboring areas. Originally scheduled for 8 September each year, to coincide with United Nations' International Literacy Day, the festival has continued to expand and has been highly rated since its debut.
Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF)
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The Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) is an annual arts festival founded in 1999 by the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), a Nigeria-based cultural organization. LABAF features pre-festival activities, including book treks, musical performances, book readings, film screenings, a publishers’ forum, book and art exhibitions, panel discussions, colloquia, symposia, book presentations, cultural exhibitions, book reviews, a green festival, and other events. The festival also encourages participation by students in primary and secondary schools and universities in Nigeria by introducing competitions and mentoring opportunities. LABAF selects different books yearly that are featured as Books of the Festival and form part of the festival's discourse for that year.
Kaduna Book And Art Festival (KABAFEST)
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The Kaduna Book and Arts Festival (KABAFEST) is an annual literary, cultural, and art event in Kaduna State, that took place for the first time in July, 2017. It was organized by Book Buzz Foundation, which also organizes the annual Aké Arts and Book Festival, in collaboration with the Kaduna State Government and the Gusau Institute. It was also the first annual book festival in northern Nigeria. There is a perception about Northern Nigeria as a place that is too conservative for books and literature. KABAFEST was conceived - an initiative of the Kaduna State Government, as a way to address that misconception. Of that founding, Lola Shoneyin of Book Buzz says through the festival, she "aim[s] to create new and exciting opportunities for social and cultural interaction, the celebration and promotion of creatives in the Northern region of Nigeria and foster tolerance and understanding through dialogues about books, culture, the arts and society".
Aké Arts and Book Festival
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The Aké Arts and Book Festival is an annual literary, cultural, and arts event founded in 2013 by the Nigerian writer Lola Shoneyin, taking place in Abeokuta. Although it has featured new and established writers from across the world, its focus has been on promoting, developing, and celebrating creativity on the African continent across diverse genres. In 2018, the festival was held for the first time in Lagos, from October 24 to October 27, with the theme being "Fantastical Futures". The Aké Arts and Book Festival has been described as the African continent's biggest annual gathering of literary writers, editors, critics, and readers. Shoneyin started the festival because, she said, she "wanted a place where intellectuals and thinkers can come together and talk about African issues on African soil." The festival is named after Aké, a town in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where Africa's first Nobel Laureate in Literature, Wole Soyinka, was born in 1934.
Nigeria International Book Fair
The Nigeria International Book Fair (NIBF) is an annual cultural event. It is known as the most-attended book fair in Africa, the only international book fair in Nigeria, and the second-largest international book fair in Africa. NIBF brings together book enthusiasts, including writers and poets, who are involved in the creation of print, audio, and digital books across the country at its annual fair.
The main aim of the festival is to promote and improve the reading culture among Nigerians and Africans as a whole. Every second week of May annually, the NIBF hosts publishers, booksellers, illustrators, authors, exhibitors, and readers who display and sell their books at discounted prices.
The Nigeria International Book Fair was inaugurated in 2001. The chairman of the event is also known to be the chairman of Nigerian Book Fair Trust, who currently is Gbadega Adedapo.
Film festivals
Africa International Film Festival
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The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) is an annual film festival. It was founded in 2010 with its Inaugural edition in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. AFRIFF was founded by Chioma Ude, a passionate film buff and entrepreneur. The event spans a week, and it includes award shows and film training classes. Keith Shiri, the founder/director of Africa at the Pictures is the artistic director of the festival. AFRIFF gives out honors in categories such as Feature, Documentary, Short, Animation, and Student Short, as well as awards and prizes for Directing, Acting, and Screenplay. There are additional special awards for Audience Choice and an Outstanding Film Jury Award.
Eko International Film Festival
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The annual Eko International Film Festival (EKOIFF) is an international film festival held in Lagos State. The Eko International Film Festival was founded and established in 2009 by Hope Obioma Opara, the CEO of Supple Communications Limited, under which the festival is held. He is also the publisher of Supple magazine, an African cinema and culture journal that features film previews, reviews, and interviews. The purpose of the Eko International Film Festival is to develop tourism in Nigeria by promoting appreciation of the arts and culture through the motion picture arts and sciences.
Lights, Camera, Africa!
Lights, Camera, Africa! is a film festival which has been held annually in Lagos since 2011. Ugoma Adegoke established the festival. Hosted by The Life House, the inaugural Lights, Camera, Africa! was supported by New York's African Film Festival, Inc. and ran for three days, from September 30 to October 2, 2011.
Music festivals
Felabration
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Felabration is an annual music festival conceived in 1998 by Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti in memory and celebration of her father Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician and human rights activist known for pioneering the afrobeat genre of music. The one-week-long event which is held annually at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, attracts visitors from different countries and has thus been considered as an official tourist destination by the Lagos State Government.
Felabration is held on the week of Fela Kuti's birthday. The event features musical performances by top acts from Nigeria and guest appearances by internationally acclaimed musicians and personalities. It also consists of street parades, symposia on social and topical issues, debates and photo exhibitions. The festival had performances from Star acts like Third World: an international reggae group, 2face, Femi Kuti, Ice Prince and a surprise performance by Majek Fashek.
Lagos International Jazz Festival
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The Lagos International Jazz Festival (LIJF), also known as Lagos Jazz Fest, is an annual celebration of jazz music and culture that was founded by Ayoola Shadare of Inspiro Productions and takes place in Lagos.
This music festival is a three-day event. The 2016 edition was divided into a two-day standard edition which was held at the Freedom Park, Lagos and then a 0ne day luxury edition which took place at The Bay Lounge Waterfront.
Rhythm Unplugged