All was simply geared towards tourism and essentially raising government revenue on Monday 23 December 2024 as Africa’s Largest City kicks off 72 hours of uninterrupted buying and selling of wares, under what is known as the Lagos Shopping Festival. It was the pilot edition that Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu flagged off at an opening ceremony at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan.

It is the fact that officials running the 20 million-people-strong megacity want to be seen tapping into all the state’s arteries to excellence, and offering room to be laid back is remarkably one of them.

ALSO READ: Lagos playing catch-up behind the Taiwan of Africa this one time with blackouts-ending electricity generating ideas

Even though businesses have long bounced back since the COVID-19 pandemic, some aspects of pre-2020

Lagos, like the unrelenting nightlife, has seen quite a bit of dampening. So, how about a happy holiday festival to remind Lagosians of who they were—if they truly forgot, that is—from 23 December until Christmas?

One of the thrills organisers, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in partnership with public relations entities Chain Reaction Ltd and Chain Reactions Africa, wants to sell with backing from top shots in banking and beverages.

Today, I attended the Lagos Shopping Festival, and it was an amazing experience, says Mr Sanwo-Olu tweeting off his X profile.

Sharing his experience at the pilot soon turned into one of the governor’s intentional marketing pitches about the aesthetics of the state he has been leading for the past six years. Lagos is truly the entertainment capital of Nigeria, and this festival showcases that vibrantly. Over the next 72 hours, we are set for a whirlwind of shopping and entertainment that only Lagos can offer.

December without Detty in it

It has happened that so far in December, there have been several platforms where the state’s tourism bliss has been exhibited.

Oftentimes, the spotlight goes to the wide stages of exclusive event halls where at least one musician and a backup would be performing tonight.

The 2024 Lagos Boat Regatta, themed “Our Water, Our Heritage, Our Life” held three days ago, offered a diversion. The mood pictured the Lagos State Governor and his deputy, Femi Hamzat both holding a white flag branded with the seal of their office.

Going into next year, there is already the ₦3.5trillion Budget of Sustainability at the cusp of parliamentary approval having passed through its second reading.

Legislators scrutinising the budget want a pragmatic approach to funding it. That then means not relying on loans, but also the option of public-private partnerships, which officials at the federal level of government have tacitly adopted under President Bola Tinubu now also enjoying an end-of-the-year holiday in his home state Lagos.

Over here, there are many openings where investments can be made, even in water. Mr Sanwo-Olu’s tweet capturing the regatta his government hosted was revealing: Our unwavering commitment to developing tourism in Lagos through our waterways.

Meiza Nigeria