The Federal Government and the Niger State Government have commenced a coordinated drive to reposition the historic Bida Bariki Festival as a globally recognised cultural tourism attraction, drawing on its rich traditional heritage and Bida’s rising international creative profile.

The partnership followed strategic engagements involving the lawmaker representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency, Hon. Sa’idu Musa Abdullahi, the Niger State Tourism Corporation and key federal cultural institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy and the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC).

As part of the initiative, the delegation met with the Director-General of NCAC, Obi Asika, to seek institutional support for the annual Bida Bariki Festival—a centuries-old durbar widely regarded as one of the most enduring cultural expressions of the Nupe Kingdom.

Traditionally held on the fifth day of both Eid-el-Fitr and Eid-el-Kabir, the Bariki Festival draws thousands of participants and visitors from across Niger State, other parts of Nigeria and the diaspora. The event is widely considered the cultural climax of the Sallah celebrations among the Nupe people.

Hon. Abdullahi described the festival as a symbolic homage to the Emir of Bida and the traditional institution, noting that it has been celebrated for more than a century as an expression of loyalty, unity and cultural pride.
According to him, the Bariki procession features colourful displays of horsemanship, traditional drumming, dancing and the participation of title holders and community leaders, turning Bida into a vibrant arena of pageantry and living heritage.

“For the Nupe people, Bariki is the true highlight of Sallah. Many people even reserve their new clothes for Bariki Day, which shows the depth of its cultural significance,” he said.

Beyond preserving tradition, Abdullahi explained that the renewed collaboration is aimed at repositioning the festival within Nigeria’s broader creative economy and tourism development agenda. The objective, he added, is to achieve structured promotion, stronger storytelling and global visibility capable of attracting tourists, investors and cultural enthusiasts.

General Manager of the Niger State Tourism Corporation, Zainab Mohammed, said the state government is committed to integrating Bida’s renowned craftsmanship into the festival experience to deepen its tourism appeal.
She noted that the approach would create jobs, stimulate local enterprise and strengthen the creative economy, adding that Bida’s designation in 2021 as a UNESCO Creative Cities Network Creative City of Craft and Folk Art has further enhanced its global cultural standing.

Responding, Asika commended the initiative to reposition an indigenous cultural heritage as a strategic tourism asset. He assured the delegation of NCAC’s support, particularly in media planning, stakeholder coordination and national promotion.

He stressed the importance of early and sustained publicity through traditional and digital media platforms, as well as engagement with influencers, diplomats and cultural ambassadors to build momentum ahead of each edition and sustain interest afterwards.

Asika added that NCAC would work closely with Niger State authorities to develop a comprehensive promotional and programming framework aimed at firmly establishing the Bida Bariki Festival as one of Nigeria’s flagship cultural tourism events.