While Lagos was busy carrying the loudest Detty December energy, Akwa Ibom State was running its own version—steady, cultural, and economically loud in its own way.
At the Naija7Wonders Zoom Conference 3.0, Ime Udo, Akwa Ibom State Chairman of Hotels and Tourism Board and former President of NATOP, shared a first-hand account of how the state’s Christmas Village experience has evolved into a full-blown December tourism economy.
“It’s good being here and sharing a little bit about Akwa Ibom,” she began. “December for us was very, very interesting. Very busy. Very active.”
Christmas, Unplugged-But Turned All the Way Up
For years, Akwa Ibom has marked December 1 to January 1 as Christmas Unplugged, a month-long calendar of activities. But according to Madam Udo, the last three years have taken things to another level.
“We tweaked it,” she said simply. “We added more. We infused a lot more activities into the days.” What followed was a packed month featuring Christmas carols, cultural carnivals, festivals, and independent showcases-each woven into daily life inside the Christmas Village. No dead days. No empty spaces. Every day had something happening.
31 Local Governments, 31 Days of Culture
At the heart of it all was the Village Square, where Akwa Ibom’s 31 local governments took turns owning the spotlight.
“Every day, one local government comes out to showcase everything unique about them,” she explained. “From dance to food, dressing, stories—everything that makes them special.”
It became a friendly rivalry of culture. Each local government tried to outdo the previous one, raising the bar daily. Colours got brighter. Performances got tighter. The pride was obvious. “For 31 days, it was back-to-back,” she said. “Very beautiful. Very colourful.”
A Village That Never Slept
Beyond culture, the Christmas Village itself became a commercial engine. Over 300 stalls were taken up by small businesses, alongside corporate brands, Nigerian Breweries, MTN, Guinness, Champion, and others—each carving out space to engage visitors.
From morning cultural showcases to late-night hangouts, the Village stayed alive. “We close about 3 a.m.,” Madam Udo said. “Then we start the next day around 10 or 11 a.m.” At some point, the activity level started raising eyebrows beyond the state.
“Banks, fintech, everybody started asking, ‘What is happening in Akwa Ibom?’” she recalled. “Transactions from the state were unusually high during that period.”
2 a.m. Looked Like Midday
One night, curiosity pushed her to see things for herself. Around 2 a.m., she took a walk through the Village.
“It was as if it were 12 noon,” she said. “Packed.”
Daily attendance hovered between 3,000 and 4,000 people, consistently. No fluke. No one-off spike. Every single day.
She decided to dig deeper—not just vibes, but numbers.
Follow the Money:
The former NATOP President spoke directly to grill vendors—suya, fish, roadside favourites—sampling about 20 vendors across the park.
“What they told me shocked me,” she admitted.
On weekdays, vendors earned an average of ₦70,000 daily. On weekends, that figure climbed to between ₦70,000 and ₦100,000 from grills alone.
“And they did this for 32 days,” she said. “From December 1 to January 1.”
Food vendors selling full meals and local delicacies reported similar success. Across the board, business was booming.
Akwa Ibom’s Detty December, Defined
What the Christmas Village proved, according to the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of Hotels and Tourism Board, is that Detty December doesn’t have one shape or one address. With structure, culture, and consistency, states can create their own December economy—one that drives tourism, empowers small businesses, and keeps money circulating locally.
Akwa Ibom didn’t just host a festival. It built an ecosystem.
As conversations at Naija7Wonders 3.0 revealed, Detty December has grown beyond vibes. In Akwa Ibom, it became proof that when culture meets planning, tourism follows—and the numbers don’t lie.
Closing her remarks at Naija7Wonders 3.0, Ime Udo, in her role as Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the Hotels and Tourism Board, made it clear that the Christmas Village story is only the beginning.
She promised to return to the Naija7Wonders platform with something many stakeholders are asking for—hard data.
According to her, the state is already working on compiling economic impact figures from Detty December, including visitor flow, transaction volumes, vendor earnings, and broader tourism value across the season.
“This time, we’ve shared the experience,” she hinted. “Next time, we’ll bring the numbers.”
With that commitment, Akwa Ibom positioned itself not just as a December destination, but as a state ready to quantify its tourism value—turning vibes into verifiable impact, and Detty December into a measurable economic tool.
As Naija7Wonders 3.0 continues to spotlight Nigeria’s evolving tourism story, Akwa Ibom’s return—armed with data—may well redefine how states plan, invest, and compete ahead of the next festive season.
