5000 SMEs expected as Arewa festival begins Saturday 

    About 5000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and over 200000 visitors are expected as 19 northern states showcase their trade, creativity and innovation in Kano on Saturday at the maiden edition of Arewa festival.   Traders, entrepreneurs, content creators and innovators across the north are to relive the African trade and merge it […]

 

 

About 5000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and over 200000 visitors are expected as 19 northern states showcase their trade, creativity and innovation in Kano on Saturday at the maiden edition of Arewa festival.

 

Traders, entrepreneurs, content creators and innovators across the north are to relive the African trade and merge it with modern digital economy, said Hajia Shuhda Muhammed, the organisers of the event.

 

Disclosing this at a press conference in Lagos, Muhammed who is the Founder of Tripoint Academy,

emphasized the festival’s economic significance, saying it would boost the region’s economy and empower the people.

 

Organised by Tripoint Academy for Tourism and Enterprise Development, in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Nigeria, T2Mobile, Taj Bank and Onga, the festival would support the cultural and economic revival of Northern Nigeria.

 

Themed “Reliving the African Trade”, the festival is positioned as an economic renaissance and set to unite all 19 Northern States in a transformative celebration that blends commerce, culture, entrepreneurship, and community.

 

Anchored in the legacy of ancient trans-Saharan trade and the historic markets that once shaped West Africa’s economic power, Mrs Mohammed said the Festival aims to reawaken Northern Nigeria’s economic leadership and channel cultural heritage into modern prosperity.

 

She highlighted the festival’s ability to accelerate trade and market access for SMEs, artisans, and agribusinesses

Spotlight rising creative and entrepreneurial talent across Arewa.

 

She added that it would attract investment, tourism, and global commercial partnerships and restore confidence in the region’s resilience and potential

With an expected attendance of 200,000+ visitors and 5,000+ SMEs projected to benefit from expanded market access.

 

“Arewa Festival 2025 is positioned as a unifying engine for regional economic transformation”, she said.

 

She informed that AREWATECH; The Festival’s Legacy Blueprint would be announced on the festival day.

 

Mohammed said AREWATECH is the festival’s long-term development initiative designed to:

Strengthen agricultural value chains and enable inter-state and international trade

 

It would also expand youth entrepreneurship and skills development and scale the creative and digital economy while positioning Northern Nigeria as a tourism and hospitality hub

 

Other speakers at the press conference including

Mrs. Uche Uzoebo, MD/CEO, SANE;

Mrs. Onajite Eshareghan, Head of Corporate Banking, TAJ Bank;

Mr. Ibrahim Katsina, VP, Sales & Digitization – North, T2 (formerly 9Mobile);

Mr. Seni Ogunkola, VP, Brand & Communications, T2;

Mrs. Babatunde Kudirat, Assistant Brand Manager, Culinary, ONGA;

Omotayo Olaobaju, Head of Culinary Category, ONGA; and

Dr. Olawale Anifowose, MD, GEN Nigeria.

 

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