The maiden edition of the Arewa Festival 2025 is set to reposition Northern Nigeria as a major hub for commerce, investment, and enterprise development, as organisers unveil a region-wide economic agenda that seeks to reconnect the 19 northern states through trade, innovation, and cultural assets.

Organized by Tripoint Academy in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Nigeria, the festival themed, ‘Reliving the African Trade’ is designed to revive historic trade routes, strengthen value chains, and accelerate SME growth across Northern Nigeria’s diverse economic sectors.

Speaking on the economic objectives of the festival, the convener, Hajiya Shuhda Muhammed, said the initiative is expected to become one of the largest cultural-economic platforms in the region, bringing together government agencies, traditional councils, financial institutions, corporate sponsors and thousands of participants to explore emerging business opportunities.

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She disclosed that over 5,000 small and medium-scale enterprises from across the 19 northern states will participate in trade exhibitions, investment clinics, entrepreneurship master classes, and market expansion programmes driven by ‘AREWATECH’, a development framework that integrates agriculture, technology, hospitality, and creative industries into a unified regional growth strategy.

According to her, the festival aims to rebuild the region’s economic foundation by promoting trade networks, supporting grassroots entrepreneurs, attracting investors, and empowering youth-led enterprises.

Managing Director of GEN Nigeria, Dr. Olawale Anifowoshe, noted that the event will highlight investment prospects in agriculture, fashion, crafts, food processing, tourism, technology, and creative industries.

He added that the long-term vision includes establishing innovation hubs, strengthening export opportunities, and reviving trans-Sahel trade routes that once linked Northern Nigeria to North African markets.

“The Arewa Festival 2025 goes beyond celebration; it is a strategic blueprint for building a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem and positioning the North as a competitive centre for innovation and commerce,” he said.

Similarly, from the private sector perspective, businessman Alhaji Dr. Bature Abdulazeez Mai Gwanjo said Northern Nigeria holds the potential to significantly boost national revenue if its resources, skills, and cultural assets are properly harnessed.

He described the festival as “a structured platform for investment networking, cross-sector collaboration, and showcasing the region’s economic strength to global partners.