Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima says the Federal Government is positioning the country’s carnival industry to tap from the global carnival market, estimated at $5 billion, as a strategic lever for the nation’s economic growth.
He said beyond promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage, the Nigerian carnival industry also has enormous potential to drive national unity and cohesion and empower the youth.
Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting with a delegation from the Abuja International Carnival at the Presidential Villa, the Vice President also underscored the potential of the $5 billion global carnival market to assist Nigeria’s economic growth agenda.
Shettima pledged the support of the Tinubu administration for youth enterprises in the creative industry. He pointed to the success of major carnival events around the world, such as the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, which attracts as many as 200 million visitors yearly, and the Calabar Carnival, which has become intertwined with the cultural heritage of the Efik/Ibibio people.
Chief Executive Officer of the Abuja International Carnival, Kehinde Adegbite, expressed gratitude for the Vice President’s support and outlined plans to partner with the Ministry of Arts Culture and the Creative Economy to revive the carnival.
(Editor: Oloyede Oworu)
