What began as an ambitious vision to revive the African trade has now become one of the most unifying economic and cultural experiences in Northern Nigeria’s recent history.
The Arewa Festival 2025, convened by Tripoint Academy for Tourism and Enterprise Development in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Lagos, successfully brought together thousands of entrepreneurs, creatives, traders, investors, development partners, and young people across the 19 Northern states.
As co-convener Mrs. Muhammed Shuhda explained during the pre-event press conference:
“Arewa is a word that represents Northern Nigeria, so when people hear ‘Arewa Festival’, that identity naturally comes to mind. With the Global Entrepreneurship Week theme ‘Together, We Build’, we wanted to create something that unites Northern entrepreneurs under one umbrella, not just to celebrate trade and enterprise, but to showcase the many beautiful things we have in Nigeria.”
The AREWA Festival did more than celebrate heritage; it demonstrated the readiness of Northern Nigeria to reclaim its position as a powerhouse of commerce, creativity, and innovation.
A Celebration of Legacy, Enterprise, and Modern Opportunity
Across the festival period, the northern region witnessed a vibrant convergence, echoing the heartbeat of ancient trans-Saharan markets.
In total, over 30,000 attendees participated across 19 states. 871 SMEs and vendors showcased their products
Dignitaries in attendance included Dr Olawale Anifowose, the Managing Director, Global Entrepreneurship Network, Nigeria, Dr Nneka Okekearu, Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan Atlantic University, Mrs. Uche Uzoebo, MD, SANEF Limited, The Royal Father of the day, His Eminence Emir of Kano represented by Jarman Kano, Ambassador Tomas Vyprachticky, the Czech Republic Ambassador to Nigeria to mention a few.
AREWATECH Makes Its Debut, Launching A Blueprint for Northern Reawakening
One of the defining milestones of Arewa Festival 2025 was the official launch of AREWATECH; Africa Rebuilds Economy With Agriculture, Trade, Entrepreneurship, Creatives & Hospitality.
As noted by Dr. Olawale Anifowose, Managing Director of GEN Nigeria, during the press conference:
“What we want to achieve with the Arewa Festival is to continuously showcase the creativity and entrepreneurial strength of Northern Nigeria. The Festival will move to different parts of the country, still as Arewa Festival, giving entrepreneurs and creatives from the North the opportunity to show what they have in every region of Nigeria.”
This long-term development initiative is already earning national attention for its potential to:
- Activate competitive agricultural value chains
- Improve inter-state and cross-border trade
- Strengthen youth employment and entrepreneurship
- Grow the region’s creative and digital economy
- Position Northern Nigeria as a tourism and hospitality destination
The Festival served as the first major touchpoint of this blueprint, with business clinics, knowledge exchanges, and state-wide masterclasses introducing participants to the pillars of AREWATECH.
Festival Highlights: Where Culture Met Innovation
The 2-day Grand Event in Kano and 18 other northern states showcased the full richness of Arewa’s identity:
Commerce & SMEs
A dynamic marketplace where entrepreneurs gained visibility, sales, investment interest, and export readiness guidance.
Culture & Heritage
Durbar displays, fashion showcases, cultural performances, and indigenous culinary experiences reminded Nigeria of Northern Nigeria’s historical prestige.
Innovation & Leadership
State-wide entrepreneurship masterclasses (under the GEW theme Together We Build) strengthened collaboration across sectors.
Youth & Creatives
From the fashion runways to art exhibitions and other creative expressions, the festival platformed young talents redefining Arewa’s future.
Looking Ahead: Expanding the Movement Across Nigeria
- Building on the success of this year’s edition, Tripoint Academy and partners are already exploring opportunities to:
- Extend the Arewa Festival experience to Southern & Western Nigeria
- Deepen the implementation of AREWATECH across states
- Establish annual innovation hubs and marketplaces
- Strengthen regional trade corridors and creative economy pipelines
- Scale entrepreneurship support programmes year-round
The importance of broad inclusion was also underscored by Mrs. Uche Uzoebo, MD of Sanef Group, one of the Festival’s key partners:
“When we talk about financial inclusion, we must also talk about access points. That’s why this Festival matters to us at Sanef ; the North has one of the highest exclusion rates, and this platform allows us to bring more people into the financial space, through literacy, empowerment, and meaningful impact.”
The goal is clear: to make the Arewa Festival a national model for economic reawakening and cultural revitalisation.
Arewa Festival 2025 has proven that when commerce, creativity, and community come together, transformation becomes inevitable.
The story of Northern Nigeria is changing. The narrative is shifting, and this is only the beginning.
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