The Enugu New Yam Festival 2025 (Iri Ji Grand Finale) marked the end of the harvest season with a celebration organiser described as a “world-class cultural spectacle”, combining tradition, music and modern production to showcase African heritage. The festival was owned and curated by Heritage & Culture Africa, with BigSea Promotions as the official production partner.
According to Heritage & Culture Africa on Tuesday, the festival was conceived to celebrate unity, abundance and cultural pride, while creating opportunities for younger generations to connect with, preserve and reinterpret African heritage. “NYMF 2025 demonstrated that culture thrives when it evolves in ways that resonate with today’s youth,” the organisers said in a statement.
The festival featured large-scale stage architecture, high-definition LED visuals, immersive lighting, premium sound engineering and performances that seamlessly blended cultural storytelling with contemporary music. Heritage & Culture Africa noted that the production set a new benchmark for cultural festivals in eastern Nigeria and across the country.
“BigSea Promotions exceeded expectations in delivering the festival experience,” the organisers added. “They transformed cultural narratives into a premium live show, showcasing the global potential of Nigerian festivals.”
NYMF 2025 also prioritised community engagement and social responsibility. In the days leading up to the festival, organisers distributed 1,000 tubers of yam to motherless babies’ homes and local market communities across Enugu State, reflecting the festival’s ethos of sharing abundance with the most vulnerable members of society. “Celebration is most meaningful when it touches the community,” the organisers said.
Heritage & Culture Africa also emphasised the festival’s potential as a platform for government and brand partnerships, highlighting its role in youth engagement, tourism development and economic growth. The festival demonstrates that modern presentations of African heritage can preserve cultural identity while appealing to contemporary audiences.
As the curtain fell on the festival, organisers said NYMF 2025 had firmly established itself as the grand finale of the Iri Ji season, blending culture, music, fashion and community impact. “With Heritage & Culture Africa’s leadership and BigSea Promotions’ production excellence, African cultural festivals are now positioned to be relevant, sustainable and globally recognised,” the statement added.
