domestic cultural holidays
Nigeria’s cultural holidays and festivals are vibrant, centuries-old celebrations of harvest, ancestry, and indigenous spirituality. While the country also observes major national religious holidays (like Eid and Christmas), the traditional calendar is rich with regional spectacles.
If you are looking to witness these events, numerous guided experiences are available that incorporate local arts, such as the Lagos: Southwestern Nigeria Cultural Tour to visit UNESCO World Heritage sites. For year-round arts and crafts exploration, you can visit the Nike Art Gallery Tour for interactive Adire (tie-dye) workshops that displays of over 2,000 traditional pieces.
Our local cultural holidays ideas
Our itinerary ideas will give you a starting point for what your trip could entail. Treat them just as inspiration, as each trip is created uniquely for you and there are many more options available.
Argungu Festival
The Argungu Fishing Festival is a four-day cultural event designed to promote unity and natural conservation. The celebration first took place in 1934 to mark the end of decades of hostility between the Kebbi Kingdom and the Sokoto Caliphate. It is also used to mark the end of farming season and start of the fishing season. The cultural event begins with agricultural show, water sport displays, traditional Kebbawa entertainments and ends with the spectacular fishing competition in the Mata Fadan River.
Eyo Festival
The Eyo Masquerade, also known as the Adamu Orisha Play, is a prominent, culturally revered Yoruba festival exclusive to Lagos, Nigeria. Centuries ago, it was held to feature masqueraders dressed entirely in white to escort the soul of a departed Lagos king or Chief and to usher in a new one. The event's origins are found in the inner workings of the secret societies of Lagos. The events specifically must happenend on a Saturday.
Durbar Festival
The Durbar Festival is a four-day event that sees thousands of Nigerian Muslims participate in a magnificent display of Islamic and equestrian activities. The event takes place at the end of Ramadan and coincides with the onset of Eid al-Adha. During the celebration, thousands of men dressed in turbans and other traditional robes roam through the streets of major Nigerian cities on horseback. The festival is particularly popular in the states of Katsina, Sokoto, and Kano. The celebration dated back to the 14th century.
Osun-Oshogbo Festival
The Osun Festival, also known as the Osun Oshogbo Festival, is an annual two-week-long cultural and religious festival held at the Osun Sacred Grove in Oshogbo, Osun State and celebrated by the Yoruba people. This festival is dedicated to honour Osun, the Yoruba goddess of fertility, water, and prosperity, drawing thousands of devotees and tourists for traditional chanting, drumming, and honoring of ancestors.
Ojude-Oba Festival
Ojude Oba festival is an ancient event celebrated by the Yoruba people of Ijebu-Ode, in Ogun State. It is an annual activity that happens three days after Eid al-Kabir. The Ojude Oba Festival is meant to show respect and pay homage to the Awujale of Ijebuland. During the event, different cultural age groups converge on the front of the king's palace on the third day of the Islamic Eid al Kabir event to pay homage to the king.
Carniriv Festival
Carniriv festival is an annual seven-day celebration event held in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, widely regarded as one of the top music festivals in Nigeria. It combines a contemporary Caribbean-style carnival and a purely cultural carnival of numerous events of cultural and sacred significance. Highlight features include musical performances by local and international artists, tourism attraction displays, and dancing competitions.
New Yam Festival
Calabar Carnival
Ofala Festival
Lagos Carnival
Sango Festival
Egungun Festival
Olojo Festival
Oro Festival
Ovia-Osese Festival
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