Calabar Carnival injects N17.4bn into Cross River economy
The Cross River State Tourism Bureau reports that the 32‑day Calabar Festivals and Carnival in December 2025 generated over N17.4bn for the state economy and hosted more than 248,000 visitors, reinforcing the event’s status as one of Nigeria’s strongest tourism drivers. Managing Director Mr Ojoi Ekpenyong said visitor inflow was about 24 per cent higher than in 2024.
Key indicators showed broad gains across travel and hospitality: Calabar International Airport handled over 12,000 inbound passengers, transport spend was estimated at N10.6bn, hotel occupancy averaged 72 per cent with peaks above 95 per cent from 16 – 30 December, and hotel bookings totalled about N3.9bn alongside N2.05bn in food and beverage revenue. The bureau added that attractions recorded more than 370,000 visits, ticketed events and nightlife generated around N590m, ancillary activities contributed N1.7bn, on-site audiences reached about 780,000, and global broadcasts and streams drew over 1.3bn and 120m viewers respectively.
Source: The Lagos Times