Nigeria to Replicate Part of Rio Carnival, Eyes Multi-Billion Naira Cultural Revenue Boost

June 5, 2025
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The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has revealed plans to recreate a fraction of Brazil’s world-famous Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Nigeria, with hopes of unlocking major cultural and economic gains. According to NICO’s Executive Secretary/CEO, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, the Rio Carnival, which is rooted in Yoruba Orisha culture and mythology, generates over $10 billion annually and attracts around seven million global visitors – nearly half of Nigeria’s national budget in value.

Speaking during a working visit to Brazil, Ajiboye announced that organizers of the Rio Carnival have agreed to replicate a portion of the Brazilian festivities during Nigeria’s forthcoming World Orisha Congress (WOOCON). The goal, he said, is to reawaken local appreciation for Yoruba cultural heritage and transform it into a source of revenue and employment for Nigeria, much like Brazil has successfully done.

“The same culture that originated from the Yoruba people of South-Western Nigeria has become a global attraction in Brazil, while we neglected it,” Ajiboye lamented. “But now, we are bringing it home in a new form – with ideas and creativity – to boost tourism, employment, and cultural pride.”

The planned WOOCON City event in Nigeria will include dramatized storytelling of Orisha mythology, mirroring the daily cultural showcases seen in Rio. Ajiboye expressed optimism that this cultural revival will not only restore pride in indigenous heritage but also provide Nigeria with a new stream of foreign exchange and economic opportunities.

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