The Federal Government will begin preparations for the 2026 edition of Nigeria’s year-end festivities, popularly known as Detty December, starting in March, the Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has announced.
She noted that while last year’s Detty December delivered significant economic and tourism gains, it also highlighted structural gaps that must be addressed to maintain Nigeria’s growing reputation as a global holiday destination.
“Overall, the season had more positives than negatives, particularly with tourist inflow and spending. But challenges like insufficient accommodation, inflated vendor pricing, and traffic congestion threatened the experience,” she said.
Musawa added, “We are currently reviewing the 2025 Detty December. The main issues we are focusing on are lack of accommodation and overpricing by vendors. We will begin preparations for this year’s Detty December in March. A paper will be submitted to the Federal Executive Council to coordinate all necessary interdependencies to ensure a fantastic festive season in Lagos.”
Detty December, she explained, refers to the surge of concerts, parties, festivals, and cultural events that dominate Nigeria’s social calendar at year-end, with Lagos as the central hub for both local and international visitors.
“December in Lagos is now globally recognized as a top destination. However, we aim to expand activities and content across other regions, such as the Calabar Festival and events in Enugu, Plateau, and other parts of the South East, to attract tourists to more parts of Nigeria,” Musawa said.
The minister also highlighted plans to strengthen support for Lagos and the creative sector through targeted funding, infrastructure development, and an endowment fund to boost creative output.
“The Federal Government must support Lagos more, particularly in funding creatives in the industry. The endowment fund we plan to introduce will help achieve that. We also need more hotels, especially five-star and upper-class accommodations,” she added.
Musawa expressed optimism that ongoing airport upgrades in Lagos would enhance visitor arrivals by year-end. She also acknowledged efforts by the Ministry of Works and Lagos State Government to ease traffic through new roads and flyovers, but warned that unchecked pricing could still affect Nigeria’s competitiveness.
“The government must ensure fair pricing so that Nigeria remains a top December destination,” the minister said.
