…event kicks off Dec 23 to 25
Lagos State is gearing up to host the first Lagos Shopping Festival, scheduled from December 23 to 25 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Lagos Island. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the initiative during the unveiling of the festival symbol at the Lagos House in Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu said the inaugural Lagos Shopping Festival will drive commerce by supporting local businesses, attracting global brands, and creating direct and indirect employment opportunities through vendor participation, logistics, events and entertainment management.
The governor said the Lagos Shopping Festival, which the Lagos State Government is supporting through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts in partnership with Tolaram Africa Group, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, and Chain Reactions Africa, will attract local and international tourists to Lagos and position the state amongst her peers with their shopping festivals.
He said: “We are a city of audacious people who dream and think big. By this December, the City of Dubai will be holding the 30th edition of its annual Dubai Shopping Festival. “But we are just starting now, and we believe it is never too late.
Through our Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts, in April, we had the proof of concept. We had a trade fair where sales over N5 billion were recorded by just 245 vendors in just three days. So, we have tested the concept, and we know it can only get bigger.
“I am excited that come this December, the City of Lagos will be joining the league of other global cities such as Istanbul and Dubai with their own dedicated shopping festivals. This is part of our broader strategy to continue to market Lagos as a premium destination for business and leisure.
“For us, this festival is not just about enjoyment; it is an economic tool to achieve a number of economic objectives. It will drive commerce by supporting local businesses and attracting global brands. It will also create direct and indirect employment opportunities through vendor participation, logistics, event and entertainment management.”
