The celebratory season officially commenced in Cross River State as Governor Bassey Otu inaugurated the activities for the 20th annual ‘Carnival Calabar and Festival.’ The symbolic Christmas tree lighting ceremony took place on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at the Millennium Park, marking the start of Africa’s biggest street party.
This year’s edition is especially significant, marking two decades since the carnival began drawing thousands of tourists, investors, and enthusiasts of culture and entertainment to the city every year.
Addressing the audience at the tree lighting event, Governor Otu guaranteed both local and international visitors a thrilling and improved experience. Notably, four former state governors Clement Ebiri, Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke, and Ben Ayade were in attendance, underscoring the event’s stature. Governor Otu reaffirmed his administration’s deep commitment to elevating Cross River’s existing standards in tourism, leisure, and entertainment. He stated, “My team and I will continue to grow Cross River through human capital development, industrialisation, rural transformation, and tourism.”
A culture and tourism expert in the state, Joseph Nneji, confirmed that all arrangements are in place to ensure this year’s carnival is truly historic and remarkable. “Twenty years of the Carnival Calabar and festival is not just a celebration for Cross River State, but for Africa and the world,” Nneji noted. “We invite everyone governments, tourists, creatives, brands, and cultural institutions to join us in commemorating two decades of excellence.”
Over the past two decades, the Carnival Calabar and Festival has cultivated a distinct identity and history, evolving into one of the most highly anticipated annual events. What started as a straightforward state strategy to boost tourism and reposition the city as a cultural hub has blossomed into a global entertainment spectacle, consistently attracting millions of physical and online visitors year after year. The iconic carnival remains a massive draw for fun lovers, reaching far beyond Nigeria to countries like Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, South Africa, and Ghana.
The festival has grown immensely since its early days featuring simple community dance troupes and traditional masquerades. Today, the month-long fiesta boasts international music concerts, grand street parades by themed bands like Seagull, Passion 4, Bayside, and Freedom, cultural exhibitions, bikers’ parades, and beauty pageants. Beyond entertainment, the annual event has continually served as a crucial spotlight for Nigerian fashion designers, filmmakers, dancers, musicians, and cultural storytellers, cementing Calabar as the must-visit December destination globally.
This year’s 20th-anniversary celebration is packed with promises: it will feature international performance blocs from at least 10 countries, showcase local heritage to a global audience through specialized displays, and convene top global influencers, filmmakers, and tourism ambassadors. Furthermore, the state is focused on using the event to reestablish Calabar as West Africa’s tourism capital. This includes organizing an investment summit specifically designed to strengthen Nigeria’s creative and hospitality sectors, thereby generating fresh opportunities for local businesses, artisans, performers, and investors.
The lasting impact of the Carnival Calabar and Festival over the last two decades speaks volumes: millions of visits recorded, thousands of jobs created, and hundreds of new, constantly evolving creative talents discovered and propelled into the limelight. This year’s carnival not only seeks to honor its vibrant history but is also set to cast a bold new vision for the next 20 years, with the ultimate goal of making Calabar the undisputed cultural capital of Africa.
