01
COMPETE
Dance. Sing. Wrestle. Create. Cook. Perform.
THIS IS WHERE NIGERIA COMES TOGETHER. 36 STATES. ONE CONNECTION.
Connected Culture
00
Days
00
Hours
00
Minutes
00
Seconds
THE MOMENT IS HERE.
Welcome to NAFEST 2026. Welcome to Connected Culture. Welcome to Enugu.
THE NAFEST EXPERIENCE
WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN
NIGERIA
MEETS ITSELF?
Many cultures.
One celebration.
One celebration.
CONNECTED CULTURE
36
States.
Plus the Federal Capital Territory.
Plus the Federal Capital Territory.
Nigeria is many cultures, many histories and many ways of expressing who we are.
At NAFEST, those voices meet on one national stage.
We perform.
We compete.
We create.
We learn.
We celebrate.
CONNECTED CULTURE
A national celebration of culture, creativity, talent and connection.
AND THEN WE ARRIVE
↘
ENUGU.
NAFEST 2026
ONE NATION. MANY STORIES.
Nigeria is a country of extraordinary traditions, voices, ideas, movement and imagination.
Every state carries something different. Every community has something to tell. Every generation has something to create.
NAFEST brings those expressions into one extraordinary cultural experience.
Connected Culture.
NAFEST 2026 · ENUGU
THE NAFEST EXPERIENCE
SEE IT. FEEL IT. LIVE IT.
NAFEST is more than a programme.
It is a meeting of movement, music,
competition, creativity, food,
storytelling and imagination.
Across eight days, Enugu becomes
a stage for Nigeria to express
itself.
02
CREATE
Arts, crafts, design, storytelling and ideas.
03
DISCOVER
New talent. New voices. New possibilities.
04
LEARN
Skills, knowledge, creativity and exchange.
05
TASTE
Flavours and food from across Nigeria.
06
CELEBRATE
Performance, entertainment, culture and community.
SOMETHING FOR EVERY ONE.
From the traditional to the contemporary, from the familiar to the unexpected.
There is something to watch, something to join, something to learn — and something to remember.
Come experience it.
THE NAFEST PROGRAMME
EIGHT
DAYS.
ONE
NATION.
NAFEST 2026 · ENUGU, NIGERIA
THE FESTIVAL
STARTS HERE.
STARTS HERE.
THE
PROGRAMME.
From traditional sport and indigenous fashion to storytelling, food, music, crafts, ideas and performance, NAFEST brings the many expressions of Nigerian culture into one national festival.
8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Registration & Accreditation
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
NAFEST Crafts Market
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Grand National Cultural Parade — 36 States + FCT
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Parade Arrival & Cultural Display
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Official Opening Ceremony
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Command Performance
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
NAFEST Crafts Market
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Sing-Off Naija — Opening Competition
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Dance-Off Naija — Opening Competition
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch / Festival Break
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Jollof Wars — Opening Competition
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Children’s Essay Writing
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Cultural Performances & Showcases
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
NAFEST NIGHTS — THE CELEBRATION
Music. Comedy. Dance. · Michael Okpara Square
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
NAFEST Crafts Market
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Dambe — Opening Competition
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Sing-Off Naija — Competition
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch / Festival Break
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Dance-Off Naija — Competition
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Jollof Wars — Competition
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Culture Quiz — Preliminary Stage
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
NAFEST NIGHTS — YOUTH NIGHT
Music. Comedy. Dance. · Michael Okpara Square
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
NAFEST Crafts Market
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Swag Show — Opening Competition
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Traditional Board Games — Opening Competition
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch / Festival Break
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Storytelling — Opening Competition
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Jollof Wars — Competition
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Dance-Off Naija — Competition
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
NAFEST NIGHTS — FLAVOURS & STYLE
Music. Comedy. Dance. · Michael Okpara Square
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
NAFEST Crafts Market
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Traditional Wrestling — Junior Competition
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Archery — Competition
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch / Festival Break
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Storytelling — Competition
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Dambe — Competition
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Swag Show — Competition
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
National Competition on Indigenous Materials for Interior Decorations
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
NAFEST NIGHTS — HERITAGE NIGHT
Music. Comedy. Dance. · Michael Okpara Square
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
NAFEST Crafts Market
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Traditional Board Games — Competition
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Culture Quiz — Semi-Finals
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch / Festival Break
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
NAFEST SYMPOSIUM
Stimulating the Cultural and Creative Industry of Nigeria
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Sing-Off Naija — Semi-Finals
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Dance-Off Naija — Semi-Finals
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
NAFEST NIGHTS — CULTURE & CREATIVITY
Music. Comedy. Dance. · Michael Okpara Square
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
NAFEST Crafts Market
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Jollof Wars — Semi-Finals
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Traditional Wrestling — Semi-Finals
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Storytelling — Semi-Finals
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch / Festival Break
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Dambe — Semi-Finals
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Culture Quiz — Final
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Swag Show — Final
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Festival Grounds / Evening Transition
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
NAFEST NIGHTS — THE BIG NIGHT
Music. Comedy. Dance. · Michael Okpara Square
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
HONOURS & AWARDS
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
CLOSING CEREMONY
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
HEADLINE ARTISTE PERFORMANCE
NAFEST 2026 · OFFICIAL THEME SONG
I BELIEVE. I BELONG.
The sound of a nation gathering.
A song for the people,
the places, the memories
and the possibilities that
make Nigeria.
Created for NAFEST 2026, I Believe carries the spirit of a celebration built around culture, creativity and connection.
Created for NAFEST 2026, I Believe carries the spirit of a celebration built around culture, creativity and connection.
I Believe.
EXPERIENCE ENUGU
COME TO ENUGU. DISCOVER THE CITY.
NAFEST 2026 brings the nation together in Enugu — a city with its own rhythm, character, history, creativity and energy.
Come for the festival. Stay long enough to experience the city beyond the stage.
ENUGU · NAFEST 2026
A CITY
WORTH
DISCOVERING.
EXPERIENCE ENUGU.
01 · THE CITY
THE CITY
Walk through a city shaped by
history, movement and modern
Nigerian creativity.
02 · THE FOOD
THE FOOD
Discover the flavours,
dishes and culinary traditions
that make the city memorable.
03 · THE PEOPLE
THE PEOPLE
Meet the people, creatives,
makers and communities that
give Enugu its character.
04 · THE NIGHT
THE NIGHT
When the sun goes down,
experience another side of
the Coal City — music,
entertainment and connection.
NAFEST HAPPENS IN ENUGU.
But Enugu is more than the destination.
It is part of the experience.
See you in Enugu.
FESTIVAL PARTNERS.
PARTNER WITH THE CULTURE.
Connect your organisation with Nigeria’s celebration of arts, crafts, cuisine and culture. Discover an opportunity to contribute and grow with NAFEST 2026.
EXPLORE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Have a partnership idea in mind?
BE PART OF NAFEST
DON'T JUST WATCH. BE PART OF IT.
NAFEST is built for participation.
Whether you are coming to experience
the festival, competing on the national
stage, exhibiting your work or creating
a partnership, there is a place for you
at NAFEST 2026.
01 · ATTEND
ATTEND
Come to Enugu and experience
eight days of culture, competition,
creativity, food, performance
and celebration.
→
02 · COMPETE
COMPETE
Bring your talent, your discipline
and your state's voice to the
national stage.
→
03 · EXHIBIT
EXHIBIT
Put your craft, creativity,
products, ideas and stories
before a national audience.
→
04 · PARTNER
PARTNER
Connect your organisation or
brand with one of Nigeria's
biggest cultural gatherings.
→
YOUR PLACE IS HERE.
NAFEST 2026.
21–28 November.
Enugu, Nigeria.
Come be part of it.
REGISTER FOR NAFEST 2026