Enugu State has been selected to host the 2025 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) under the theme “Connected Culture,” scheduled for November 22–29. The National Council for Arts and Culture Director-General, Obi Asika, formally transferred hosting rights to Governor Peter Mbah, citing Enugu’s rich cultural legacy, historical significance, and transformative infrastructural developments as decisive factors. Asika praised the state’s recent strides, including the Awhum Waterfall and Nsude Pyramid Canopy Walkway projects, and commended Mbah’s leadership as pivotal to Enugu’s growing prominence.
Governor Mbah pledged a landmark edition of NAFEST, aligning the event with his administration’s ambitious target to attract three million annual visitors. “Enugu is purpose-built for such gatherings,” he asserted, highlighting ongoing security enhancements, aesthetic urban upgrades, and investments in tourism infrastructure. Over 5,000 participants from 30 states and abroad are expected to attend, with the festival poised to boost youth empowerment, creative industries, and economic growth through cultural exchanges and capacity-building initiatives.
Asika emphasized NAFEST’s historical role in national unity, recalling its post-civil war origins and Enugu’s sole prior hosting in 2008. He lauded the state’s tech-driven initiatives, educational institutions, and traditional arts like masquerade displays and wrestling as assets for the festival. Mbah reaffirmed Enugu’s safety credentials, citing advanced crime prevention systems, and vowed to leverage NAFEST to position the state as a top destination for business, leisure, and tourism in Nigeria.
