Lagos supports 201 cultural events to boost global visibility
By Adeola Ogunrinde
The Lagos State Government on Wednesday said it supported 201 cultural events within one year as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s tourism and creative industry.
The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, disclosed this during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held at Alausa, Ikeja, where she highlighted major milestones recorded by the ministry in the last 12 months.
She said the ministry, through its Creative Arts Department, expanded support for the creative and cultural sector by sponsoring more than 201 events, festivals and programmes, compared to 143 initiatives supported in the previous year.
According to her, the supported projects covered fashion, music, theatre, food tourism, cultural festivals, art exhibitions, youth empowerment, film, comedy and international tourism events, reflecting Lagos’ growing influence in Africa’s creative economy.
Among the major events supported by the state were the Lagos Fanti Carnival, AFRIMA Awards, Lagos Fashion Week, Headies Awards, Lagos Cocktail Week, Lagos International Jazz Festival, Lagos Street Festival and the E1 Lagos Grand Prix, Africa’s first all-electric powerboat race.
Benson-Awoyinka said the state’s tourism and creative policies were deliberately designed to boost Lagos’ global visibility, create jobs, preserve cultural heritage and stimulate economic growth.
She added that the 2026 Lagos Fanti Carnival attracted more than 40,000 participants and visitors, celebrating Afro-Brazilian heritage and drawing tourists and cultural enthusiasts from different parts of the world.
The commissioner further disclosed that the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History recorded 56,040 visitors, while Freedom Park welcomed 27,593 visitors and the Badagry Heritage Museum attracted more than 10,000 tourists. She added that the J. Randle Centre also won the prestigious Thea Award in Orlando, Florida, for excellence in immersive storytelling and cultural innovation.
