Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka has disclosed that the State Government in the last year supported the hosting and celebration of 143 cultural, Arts and tourism events including festivals with the sum of Eight Billion, Four Hundred and Seventy-Five Million, Two Hundred and Thirty-Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty-Five Naira, (₦8,475,238,265.00).
She made this disclosure on Wednesday while addressing members of the Press at the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing commemorating the sixth year in office of the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Alausa, Ikeja.
The Commissioner stated that the support underscores the State’s strategic drive to consolidate Lagos’s position as Africa’s premier hub for arts, culture, and entertainment while also encouraging the involvement of cultural and creative-oriented individuals and organisations.
She said: “This investment reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s unwavering vision to build a resilient creative economy that empowers talents, preserves our rich heritage, and amplifies the global visibility of Lagos as a dynamic cultural capital. “From local community festivals to international art exhibitions, these programmes are engines for job creation, youth empowerment, tourism promotion, and economic revitalisation”, she said.
Speaking further, Mrs Benson-Awoyinka informed that apart from the direct funding support, the Ministry also issued over 124 endorsement letters to creative entrepreneurs and organisations, helping them access further sponsorships and partnerships for their initiatives.
These initiatives, she said, cut across key sectors including music, film, fashion, visual arts, theatre, and cultural tourism, affirming that many of the supported events have attracted both domestic and international audiences through the enhancement of Lagos State’s profile as a thriving creative destination on the continent.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to nurturing collaborations that will drive the next phase of growth and innovation in the cultural and entertainment sectors, adding that the Ministry is “open to private sector partnerships and stakeholder engagement that will sustainably transform Lagos into a global beacon for the creative economy.”
