01
COMPETE
Dance. Sing. Wrestle. Create. Cook. Perform.
THIS IS WHERE NIGERIA COMES TOGETHER. 36 STATES. ONE CONNECTION.
Connected Culture
NAFEST 2026 · REGISTRATION
REGISTRATION RECEIVED.
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
NINE
DAYS.
ONE
NATION.
NAFEST 2026 · ENUGU, NIGERIA
THE FESTIVAL
STARTS HERE.
STARTS HERE.
THE
PROGRAMME.
Under the theme CONNECTED CULTURE, NAFEST 2026 brings Nigeria’s cultural expressions together through competitions, exhibitions, dialogue, creative showcases and shared celebration.
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Arrival & Registration
ICCE, Enugu
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Opening Party
Okpara Square
ALL DAY
Festival-wide activities
All You Can Eat Fest, NAFEST 2026 Book Fair and Cultural Market
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Official Opening Ceremony
Okpara Square
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Command Performance
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ayo Competition · Preliminary
Okpara Square
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Jollof Wars · Preliminary
Multipurpose Hall · 1,500 capacity
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Archery / Dambe / Wrestling · Preliminary Rounds
Okpara Square
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Sing-Off Naija · Preliminary Round
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Dance-Off Naija · Preliminary Round
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
GIZ / Culture Colloquium
Dome Hall / Multipurpose Hall
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ayo Competition · Round 2
Okpara Square
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
British Council · Film
Multipurpose Hall · 1,500 capacity
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Tech Quest
Dome Hall · 500 capacity
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Archery · Preliminary
Okpara Square
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wrestling · Preliminary
Okpara Square
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Sing-Off Naija · Competition Round
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Dance-Off Naija · Competition Round
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Arts & Crafts
Mini Hall · 100 capacity
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
GIZ Partner Programme
Dome Hall · 500 capacity
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Children’s Essay
Mini Hall · 100 capacity
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ayo Competition · Final
Okpara Square
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
British Council · Fashion
Multipurpose Hall · 1,500 capacity
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Storytelling · Competition Round
Mini Hall · 100 capacity
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Swag Show · Opening
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
eSport · Day 1 of 3
Mini Hall · 100 capacity
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Sing-Off Naija · Competition Round
Main Bowl · 3,500 capacity
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Dance-Off Naija · Competition Round
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
GIZ Partner Programme
Dome Hall · 500 capacity
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Culture Quiz · Preliminary Round
Multipurpose Hall · 1,500 capacity
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
British Council · Music
Dome Hall · 500 capacity
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Jollof Wars · Grand Final
Multipurpose Hall · 1,500 capacity
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Swag Show · Competition
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Storytelling · Final
Mini Hall · 100 capacity
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Sing-Off Naija · Competition Round
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
eSport · Day 2 of 3
Mini Hall · 100 capacity
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Dance-Off Naija · Competition Round
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Superstar Music Guest Artistes’ Performances
Okpara Square
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Naija Home Makeover · Build & Showcase
Multipurpose Hall · 1,500 capacity
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
GIZ Partner Programme
Dome Hall · 500 capacity
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Goethe-Institut
Multipurpose Hall · 1,500 capacity
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Archery / Dambe / Wrestling · Finals
Okpara Square
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Swag Show · Grand Final
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
eSport · Day 3 of 3
Mini Hall · 100 capacity
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Sing-Off Naija · Grand Final
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Moonlight Storytelling
Mini Hall · 100 capacity
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Experience Enugu · Excursion
Selected cultural sites across Enugu
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Culture Quiz · Grand Final
Multipurpose Hall · 1,500 capacity
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Film Show
Multipurpose Hall · 1,500 capacity
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Goethe-Institut
Dome Hall · 500 capacity
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Dance-Off Naija · Grand Final
Main Hall · 3,500 capacity
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Official Closing Ceremony
Okpara Square
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Closing Party · Live Music & Showcase
Multipurpose Hall · 150 seats
ALL DAY
Departure
FESTIVAL-WIDE EXPERIENCES: ALL YOU CAN EAT FEST · NAFEST 2026 BOOK FAIR · CULTURAL MARKET.
DAILY AT OKPARA SQUARE: CRAFT MARKET · FOOD & DRINKS · STATES’ CULTURAL PERFORMANCES ·
STAND-UP COMEDY · NAFEST SUPERSTAR MUSIC GUEST ARTISTE PERFORMANCES.
VENUE NOTES: OFFICIAL OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES TAKE PLACE AT OKPARA SQUARE. CRAFT MARKET, DAMBE, JOLLOF WARS, WRESTLING AND ARCHERY TAKE PLACE AT OKPARA SQUARE. CAPACITY-BUILDING TRAINING TAKES PLACE AT THE MULTIPURPOSE HALL AND DOME HALL. eSPORT (EXHIBITION EVENT), NAIJA HOME MAKEOVER AND SHORT FILMS (COORDINATED BY ENIFF) TAKE PLACE AT THE MULTIPURPOSE HALL.
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION SURVEY: AT ALL VENUES, BY THE EXTENSION SERVICES DEPARTMENT / GOETHE-INSTITUT.
VENUE NOTES: OFFICIAL OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES TAKE PLACE AT OKPARA SQUARE. CRAFT MARKET, DAMBE, JOLLOF WARS, WRESTLING AND ARCHERY TAKE PLACE AT OKPARA SQUARE. CAPACITY-BUILDING TRAINING TAKES PLACE AT THE MULTIPURPOSE HALL AND DOME HALL. eSPORT (EXHIBITION EVENT), NAIJA HOME MAKEOVER AND SHORT FILMS (COORDINATED BY ENIFF) TAKE PLACE AT THE MULTIPURPOSE HALL.
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION SURVEY: AT ALL VENUES, BY THE EXTENSION SERVICES DEPARTMENT / GOETHE-INSTITUT.
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