There is a particular energy that has long been associated with Lagos. It can be heard in its music, seen in its fashion, experienced through its festivals and reflected in the stories told by its filmmakers, artists and performers. These industries provide entertainment for residents and audiences beyond Nigeria, while also creating opportunities for businesses and professionals across several sectors.
This is where E for Entertainment and Tourism comes into the THEMES+ agenda.
The pillar focuses on tourism, creative arts and sports, according to the Lagos State Government’s development framework. Lagos Resilience Strategy: THEMES pillars These areas have an economic value that extends beyond the events themselves. Visitors spend on accommodation, food, transportation and experiences, while entertainment productions require the work of performers, producers, technicians, designers, marketers and other professionals.
Lagos has continued to develop policies and programmes around these industries.
One example is the State’s approach to the festive season. In January 2025, the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture reported that the 2024 edition of Detty December attracted more than 1.2 million fun-seekers from Nigeria and the diaspora. The Ministry also announced plans for a music academy, talent hunts and specialised training programmes to strengthen the music industry. Lagos State Government: Lagos to Boost Music Industry and Elevate Detty December
The figure demonstrates the scale of activity that entertainment can generate during a major season. A large influx of visitors creates demand for hotels, restaurants, transport services, event venues and other businesses. Behind the concerts and festivals are also photographers, security personnel, production teams, stylists, publicists, lawyers and other professionals whose work contributes to the wider economy.
The State has also been paying attention to tourism beyond major entertainment seasons.
In April 2025, the Lagos State Government supported the 12th Annual Egbe Cultural Festival in Badagry. The festival was presented as part of efforts to promote the area’s heritage and attract attention to its tourism attractions. Lagos State Government: Egbe Cultural Festival in Badagry
Badagry forms an important part of Lagos’ heritage offering. The State’s 2025 fourth-quarter budget performance report records projects including the development of the Lagos Heritage Centre, the upgrade of the National Museum, tourism theatres in Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu, Ikeja and Alimosho, as well as the Badagry Slave Route and Alimosho Heritage projects. Lagos State 2025 Q4 Budget Implementation Report
These investments point to a broader understanding of tourism. A destination isn’t defined only by hotels or major events. Historical sites, museums, beaches, festivals, food, fashion and recreational attractions can all influence why people choose to visit a particular place.
Lagos’ coastal location also gives tourism another dimension. In September 2025, the State marked World Tourism Day at Tarkwa Bay and used the occasion to highlight the investment potential of its coastal and aquatic attractions. The programme also included training connected to tourism and hospitality for residents of Tarkwa Bay. Lagos State Government: Lagos Marks World Tourism Day at Tarkwa Bay
Fashion provides another example of the connection between creativity, business and tourism.
Lagos Fashion Week has become an established platform for Nigerian designers and locally produced fashion. In October 2025, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the event as a demonstration of creativity and enterprise, while highlighting its potential to contribute to tourism and the growth of the fashion industry. Lagos State Government: Sanwo-Olu and Ciara at Lagos Fashion Week
The creative economy also extends to film.
In 2025, My Father’s Shadow, directed by Akinola Davies Jr., became the first Nigerian-set fiction film selected for the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture attended its international premiere, with the State describing the occasion as part of its support for Nigerian filmmaking and creative partnerships. Lagos State Government: My Father’s Shadow at Cannes Film Festival
The State has also invested in infrastructure connected to filmmaking. Its 2024 Debt Sustainability Analysis reported the completion of the Lagos Film City project in Ejirin, alongside grants and loans for filmmakers and creative entrepreneurs. Lagos State Debt Sustainability Analysis 2024
Film can contribute to tourism in another way. When a location becomes recognisable through a successful production, audiences can develop an interest in the places featured on screen. Film production itself also creates work for actors, directors, editors, costume designers, location managers, technicians and other professionals.
Music presents another significant opportunity.
Lagos continues to host concerts, festivals and other music events that attract audiences from different parts of Nigeria and beyond. The State Government has acknowledged the economic importance of the sector and has proposed stronger structures for talent development and professional training, including a music academy and specialised programmes. Lagos State Government: Lagos to Boost Music Industry
Technology is also changing the entertainment business.
Streaming platforms, digital distribution and social media have created new routes for Nigerian creators to reach audiences and generate income. Lagos has identified the connection between technology and entertainment as an area with economic potential. In February 2025, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the State was developing policies aimed at positioning Lagos as a leading African hub for digital gaming, fintech and AI-driven creative enterprises. Lagos State Government: Lagos’ Fintech, Gaming and AI Ambitions
This matters because the modern creative economy extends well beyond performers.
A successful film requires producers, cinematographers, editors, set designers, costume departments, marketers and distributors. A music release involves producers, songwriters, managers, lawyers, publicists, engineers and digital distributors. Fashion involves designers, manufacturers, photographers, models, stylists, retailers and event organisers.
Tourism creates a similar network of employment. Hotels, restaurants, tour operators, transport providers and hospitality workers all benefit when visitor numbers increase.
The government’s role therefore extends beyond organising events. It includes creating conditions where private businesses and creative professionals can build sustainable careers.
Infrastructure is part of that responsibility.
The State’s 2025 fourth-quarter budget performance report records investment in monuments and statues, the Lagos Heritage Centre, tourism theatres and heritage projects across several parts of Lagos. Lagos State 2025 Q4 Budget Implementation Report These projects can provide venues and attractions that support tourism and creative activity beyond the established entertainment districts.
There is also a need to protect the places and stories that make Lagos attractive in the first place.
Heritage sites require maintenance. Museums need proper investment. Beaches and recreational areas require infrastructure and environmental management. Historical landmarks need to be preserved and made accessible. Tourism can’t depend solely on the popularity of individual events. It needs places that visitors can experience throughout the year.
The same applies to entertainment.
A thriving creative economy requires more than talented people. Creatives need access to training, financing, professional networks, venues, equipment and legal support. They also need systems that protect intellectual property and make it possible to earn sustainable income from their work.
Lagos has also been strengthening international partnerships around its creative industries. In August 2025, the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture held discussions with French officials around initiatives involving a Fela exhibition, a cultural conference and potential investment opportunities across film, fashion, music, animation and documentary production. Lagos State Government: Lagos Deepens Cultural Ties with France
These partnerships can create opportunities for training, investment and international exposure while giving Lagos-based creatives access to wider networks.
The challenge is ensuring that growth in these industries benefits the people who make them possible.
A successful concert may generate significant revenue, but the wider question is how much of that value reaches local vendors, technicians, hospitality workers and emerging creatives. A major fashion event can attract international attention, but its long-term value becomes greater when Nigerian designers can build sustainable businesses from that exposure. A film can receive international recognition, but the industry becomes stronger when filmmakers have access to funding, production facilities and skilled professionals throughout the year.
This is why the E in THEMES+ deserves to be viewed as an economic pillar as much as an entertainment one.
Lagos already has the talent, events, attractions and creative industries that make it an important destination for entertainment and tourism. The opportunity now lies in strengthening the infrastructure and systems that allow these industries to grow while making it easier for visitors and residents to experience what Lagos has to offer.
The progress is visible in the State’s support for festivals, heritage projects, creative infrastructure and major entertainment events. Its investment in the Lagos Heritage Centre, tourism theatres, heritage projects and Lagos Film City shows an attempt to build lasting infrastructure around industries that have historically grown through a combination of private enterprise and individual creativity. Lagos State 2025 Q4 Budget Implementation Report
The next measure of success will be sustainability.
Can a filmmaker find the support required to complete a project? Can a designer turn a successful collection into a lasting business? Can an emerging musician access professional training and understand the business side of the industry? Can a visitor spend several days exploring Lagos rather than attending one event before leaving? Can historic sites remain attractive and well maintained years after their development?
These questions matter because entertainment and tourism can become major economic drivers when they are supported by reliable infrastructure, skilled professionals, investment and thoughtful planning.
Lagos has already built a strong reputation for producing talent and hosting major events. The opportunity now lies in turning that reputation into a stronger tourism and creative economy that creates jobs, attracts investment and gives more people the opportunity to participate.
Keep Reading with Exquisite Magazine
The THEMES+ series continues with Exquisite Magazine, examining the policies and projects shaping Lagos one pillar at a time. From transportation and healthcare to education, economic development, entertainment and tourism, stay with Exquisite Magazine for the next instalment as we turn to S for Security and Governance, the final pillar in our exploration of the THEMES+ agenda.
