The Cross River State Government is targeting a higher economic impact from the 2026 Carnival Calabar, following last year's reported ₦19bn contribution, with organisers introducing digital voting to give spectators a greater role in the festival.
Chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Gabe Onah, disclosed this on Sunday in Calabar during the first dry run of the carnival, themed “Rethinking Our Collective Destiny”.
Onah said the commission planned to build on the festival's economic gains by using culture and heritage to attract tourists, generate revenue and support economic growth.
“Last year, as you are aware, the socio-economic impact was ₦19 billion. But we realise that we can make more,” he said.
He announced that the 2026 edition would introduce online registration and voting, allowing spectators to participate in selecting the winning carnival band rather than remain passive observers.
“We are dedicating an immersive opportunity for spectators to contribute to who becomes the band of the year. So they are now active participants, not just watching,” Onah said.
He added that Afrobeats star Davido had signed up to perform at the event, while several countries had expressed interest in participating.
Between 10,000 and 52,000 revellers are expected to attend the festival, according to Onah, who noted that Sunday's event was only a test run ahead of the main celebration in December.
Explaining the theme, he said it reflected Governor Bassey Otu's vision of promoting love, equality and unity as foundations for collective progress.
Onah said the carnival's themes under the present administration had included “Season of Sweetness”, which represented the return of peace and love, “Our Shared Prosperity” and “Traces of Time”, which marked its 20th anniversary.
He said the 2026 theme focused on the equality of humanity and the need for unity in a world still dealing with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The flag-off ceremony coincided with Otu's 67th birthday and marked the countdown to the December festival, which is expected to draw tourists, revellers and international visitors to Calabar.
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