A non governmental organisation the “I Believe Cultural and Social Development Foundation”, has launched a new initiative to promote African trade, tourism and cultural diversity.
The foundation announced the African Trade, Tourism and Culture Expo and Summit (ATTCE) and the I Believe Carnival Nigeria 2026 at a news conference in Abuja.
In his speech, the Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Omoefe Tawiyah, said the ATTCE was designed to harness Africa’s rich culture, creativity and commerce for economic benefit.
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According to him, ATTCE is a Pan-African platform created to link governments, investors, business leaders, tourism stakeholders, cultural institutions, development partners and innovative enterprises.
He noted that it is structured as a high-impact continental marketplace where trade creates opportunity, tourism stimulates investment and culture reinforces diplomacy.
He highlighted that, the carnival will display Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and present culture as a viable tool for development capable of creating jobs across the creative sectors.
Tawiyah said arrangements were in progress to stage the 2026 ATTCE with the theme, “Africa in Motion-Where Trade, Culture and Capital Meet”.
According to him, the event scheduled to take place from 10 to 12 November at Jabi Lake Mall, is expected to attract business owners, investors, tourism professionals, creatives and government institutions from across Africa.
He revealed that the event would be organised in partnership with the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Art, Culture and Creative Economy and the European Cultural Centre Nigeria.
Tawiyah said the expo would include exhibitions, summit discussions, cultural showcases, business-to-business and business-to-government engagements, sales and networking opportunities.
“Businesses will meet B2B and B2G. There will be scaling, there will be sales, there will be networking opportunities generally,” he noted.
He further revealed that, ATTCE would serve as the economic and business segment of the programme, while the carnival would highlight Africa’s cultural diversity through performances and community involvement.
“The priority is high-level participation. We want everybody all over the world to come and experience Africa so that we are in a position to tell our stories, and our stories are not being told for us,” he emphasised.
Tawiyah said the programme would feature “Think Africa” on the first day, “Trade and Connect Africa” on the second, and “Experience Africa” on the third day.
He noted that the carnival would involve cultural troupes from Nigeria and other African countries, along with schools, corps members and other participants.
He said 16 countries from within and outside Africa took part in the 2024 edition, adding that talks were ongoing with representatives of Kenya, Uganda, Gabon and Botswana.
Tawiyah revealed that the organisers were seeking wider participation to enable people to experience African cultures, discover businesses and forge partnerships across borders.
In his remarks, the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr Ola Awakan, pledged the organisation’s support for the initiative.
Awakan, who was represented by Michael Akinyele, Director of Marketing and Promotion, NTDA, said tourism and culture were closely linked and could help project Nigeria’s diverse heritage.
“Tourism and culture are seen as twins that cannot really be separated. For this event, tourism is going to be used as an aperture,” he stated.
The DG said Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, each with distinct cultural traditions and ways of life, which the event could showcase to Africa and international audiences.
Also speaking, the National President of the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN), Abiodun Odusanwo, commended the convener for integrating trade with tourism and culture.
“What Omoefe has done differently from what has occurred before is that he has actually incorporated trade into this,” he said.
Odusanwo said the institute was supporting the initiative and would encourage its members to take part in the programme.
The Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika, said the event would offer a platform to promote Nigeria’s living arts and culture.
Asika, who was represented by Etim Udoka, Principal Performing Arts Officer, NCAC, said the council would support the event through cultural performances and publicity across its communication platforms.
“Tourism is beyond just having physical sites. Our culture and traditions are very deep, and we need to showcase this. We need to sell this to the world,” he noted.
Earlier, the Director of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships for the carnival, Denja Abdullahi, called for collaboration among government institutions, private-sector players and cultural stakeholders.
He said the event’s objectives cut across different sectors and required partnerships to achieve its expected impact.
