Food Festival will Boost Tourism – APCN

The National President of the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria, Paulinus Okon, has said that the fifth edition of the West Africa Food Festival (WAFFEST), which is billed to hold in Nigeria will boost tourism and promote West African cuisines.

Okon added that the festival, with the theme, ‘Preserving West African Flavour: The Chef’s Roles in Sustainable Tourism’, will hold between August 9 and 14. He also stated that Nigeria will be hosting the festival for the first time to encourage healthy eating.

 “This is a time to give women the opportunity to meet top chefs and mentors, as well as showcase their power in the series of meals and catering flavours.

 “Nigeria is hosting the 2023 edition because the objective of the event is to rotationally open up the food tourism potential of the Economic Community of West Africa States.

 “The festival will be held in Lagos, being the hospitality hub of Nigeria, and it is also an easy access to other West African countries, by road.” Okon said.

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The APCN president added that out of the 26 countries invited for the festival, 19 of them had confirmed their participation.

He listed the countries as Ghana, Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Cameroon, Republic of Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Congo, Lesotho, South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Cote d’ivoire, Senegal, Uganda, Sierra Leone, and the Netherlands.

The first edition of WAFFEST held in 2017, and since then, Ghana has hosted the festival three consecutive times, followed by Liberia.

Victoria Ibanga