Arewa Festival 2025, led by TRIPOINT Academy and GEN Nigeria, aims to boost entrepreneurship, trade, culture, and tourism across Northern Nigeria

TRIPOINT Academy for Tourism and Enterprise Development, in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Nigeria, has unveiled plans for Arewa Festival 2025, a landmark cultural and commercial initiative designed to revitalise economic activity across Northern Nigeria.

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The festival, themed “Reliving the African Trade,” was announced during a press conference in Lagos, attended by senior figures from banking, telecommunications, consumer goods, and entrepreneurship sectors.

Organisers stressed that the event aims to reconnect Northern Nigeria with its historic identity as a commercial and cultural powerhouse.

Speaking at the briefing, TRIPOINT Academy Founder, Mrs Shuhda Muhammed, said the festival would create opportunities for entrepreneurs, creatives, agribusinesses, and communities across all 19 Northern states.

“Arewa has always been a centre of trade, innovation and cultural exchange. This festival is designed to revive that legacy while opening new economic doors for thousands of small businesses,” she said.

GEN Nigeria Managing Director Dr Olawale Anifowose described the festival as a movement that would accelerate economic transformation in the region.

“One of the things we believe will come out of this is access to markets for many businesses in Northern Nigeria. The Arewa Festival is going to be a light that will be shown across the entire world,” he added.

Modelled after historic trans-Saharan trade routes and ancient markets, Arewa Festival 2025 aims to stimulate modern commerce and entrepreneurship.

The organisers project attendance of more than 200,000 visitors and engagement with over 5,000 small and medium enterprises, providing platforms for networking, exposure, and trade.

A key highlight is the introduction of AREWATECH—Africa Rebuilds Economy With Agriculture, Trade, Entrepreneurship, Education, Creatives, and Hospitality—a long-term framework designed to strengthen agricultural value chains, expand inter-state and international trade, boost youth entrepreneurship, and develop the creative and digital economy in Northern Nigeria.

The festival will span two days, featuring trade exhibitions, cultural showcases, fashion presentations, food tourism, entrepreneurship masterclasses, youth innovation programmes, art exhibitions, and literacy engagements, with coordinated activities across all 19 Northern states.

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Organisers expect the initiative to support job creation, improve market access, preserve cultural heritage, increase youth participation in economic activity, and promote a positive narrative about Northern Nigeria as a hub for commerce, creativity, and tourism.