The Cross River Government says it is targeting more than N19 billion in economic benefits from the 2026 edition of Carnival Calabar.
Gov. Bassey Otu announced this on Sunday during the flag-off of the carnival’s first dry run in Calabar.
Otu, represented by his deputy, Mr Peter Odey, said the government was repositioning the annual festival as a major economic asset capable of attracting tourists, supporting businesses and stimulating investment.
He said the carnival would also showcase Cross River’s cultural heritage to national and international audiences.
The Chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Mr Gab Onah, said the 2025 edition generated an estimated N19 billion in socioeconomic impact.
Onah said the commission was exploring strategies to surpass the figure in 2026, with digitisation identified as a key component of its plans.
He disclosed that the commission had introduced online registration and voting to deepen public participation in the festival.
According to him, the initiative will allow members of the public to register as carnival band members and vote for the Band of the Year.
Onah also disclosed that Nigerian music star Davido had indicated his readiness to participate in this year’s festivities. He added that discussions with some international participants were ongoing.
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The 2026 edition of Carnival Calabar is themed “Rethinking Our Collective Destiny,” which Onah said promotes unity, inclusiveness and shared humanity.
He said the festival would create opportunities for young people to showcase their creativity and talents while generating greater economic benefits for the state.
