…Detty December alive in Lagos, A/Ibom, C/River, Imo, Ibadan, Port Harcourt
After reading an exciting article on a resort, which the writer described as the latest in town and ideal for unique festive unwinding, Ejuri Igho, a real estate developer, made further inquiries, amid bookings for a five-day stay with his wife this festive season.
Also, with leisure in their minds, Uche Asonye, a banker and his family of five, are heading to Calabar this festive season for what he calls a grand family feast.
“My wife has been troubling me for the carnival in Calabar, and even wished for it as a Christmas gift some years back. So, we are set for a week-long feast in Calabar, though it is very expensive,” the banker confessed.
But Lanre Aribisala, a worker at the Tin Can Wharf, in Apapa, Lagos, does not have the capacity to fly out of Lagos or to lodge in a resort for a grand festive unwinding, yet he is determined not to be left out in the season’s fun.
Read also: Yuletide: Bad road, high fares, insecurity pile pressure on travellers
“It is all about fun and merriment. I have saved a small amount of cash to make myself happy this festive period because I hustle too much and I need to enjoy it too,” Aribisala said.
The above are the sentiments expressed by many Nigerians this festive season, as people are not deterred by the harsh economy to give themselves special treats, though, according to their capacities, with those who do not have, moving on with their lives.
From Lagos, Enugu, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Jos, Ibadan, Uyo, Owerri, Aba, to many other places, Nigerians are out to celebrate the yuletide.
Well, the heat is on and the rush hour has set in this festive season as activities marking the festivities have commenced.
The traditional queues have returned at motor parks, and has even extended to the airports as passengers outnumber buses and aircraft on ground.
At Good Is God Motors terminal in Abuja, passengers’ queue keeps getting longer, despite the almost doubled fare. At Libra Motors terminal in Okota, Lagos, many who cannot afford the almost N70,000 fare to Eastern routes are now opting for the cheaper, but risky night bus.
“My wife traveled on Friday to Benin and the fare was N51,000. I told the attendant that it was incredibly high just to Benin, which is less than five hours.
But she said that passengers will pay more from December 20th and they have increased again,” Ehis Idemuda, a lawyer, decried.
But the lawyer also gave up, saying that one cannot call-off his travel plans or need to reunite with family because of high fares.
“Festive season is our joy and also a burden to bear,” he said.
“Yes, things are very high this period, but we cannot cancel Christmas or New Year. All we need to do is to celebrate based on our capabilities. I could afford a flight to Benin but paying almost 250,000 for a less than 30 minutes flight does not make sense to me,” Idemudia admonished.
In Lagos, things are looking up, and event centres, recreation centres, beaches, open gardens, hotels, parks, restaurants, clubs and lounges are set to reap from Detty December; a popular coinage for mass merriment and patronage of the city’s offerings during the festive season.
Some Diasporas are already in town, more coming as others join to explore available leisure spots, entertainment offerings and nightlife.
Read also: Detty December: Budget before you spend
“We are almost fully booked for the festive period. This is surprising because before now many leave the cities to their hometowns during the festive season. Well, it is good for our business,” Brian Ebitimi, sales director of a Lagos-based five-star hotel enthused.
Wanle Akinboboye, founder and owner of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ibeju Lekki, is also excited that many families are booked in his resort for the festive season, a development he attributed to the world-class service and facility offerings at the resort.
Amos Mudiaga, owner of two night clubs in Lekki and Victoria Island, Lagos, noted that patronage is fast increasing with new faces and new steps on the dancing floor.
“Our Diasporas seem to be here earlier than last year. We are beginning to hear foreign accents and slang again.
“But we are spending heavily on security, that is what our patrons are most concerned about,” he said.
Also, the Oyo State government is involved in drawing visitors to the state this festive season.
They have unveiled “Vibing December” with 20 exciting programmes to excite visitors and residents alike, including: Legendary
December in collaboration with the Nigerian Breweries PLC, amid concerts and a designated enjoyment village, which has started and will run across the month; Ogbomosho Cradle Carnival, a week-long heritage festival showcasing cultural values and artistic entertainment, among others.
Moreover, Cross River State is still powering entertainment and culture this festive season, especially with the world class Carnival Calabar, which many from within and outside the country have booked accommodation and tickets for.
The carnival, according to Ojoi Ekpenyong, managing director, Cross River State Tourism Bureau, is beyond Detty December as it hosts thousands onsite and online for 32 days non stop excitement, as well as three carnival dry runs in October, November and December.
For those who argue if people still travel for the festive season, Ekpenyong disclosed that the carnival in 2024, recorded 613,000 spectators, visitors and tourists and 14,710 foreign spectators.
Ekpenyong is inviting more people to Calabar this year for the festive season, insisting that the state has increased its capacity to host, with infrastructure upgrade, maximum security, crowd control and more accommodation offerings.
Read also: Maximising Detty December to strengthen Nigeria’s tourism and aviation sector
“We have over 4000 hotel rooms, an improvement from 3,600 available rooms last year. We also have two new aircraft (Cally Air) to ease access. Cross River is safe and ready to host visitors this festive season,” Ekpenyong assured.
He was also excited that Margaret Ekpo International Airport Calabar recorded over 10,000 inbound passengers during last year’s festive season, with about 79 percent of the passengers visiting from other parts of the country, while three percent from the diaspora majorly for leisure and to attend the carnival.
Again, with over 4000 rooms, he assured that more visitors will come and the hotels will surpass the N2.79 billion revenue they generated last year, the N1 billion generated on food, drinks, rentals, events and N8.875 billion spent on transportation and others during the festive season last year.
Of course, December is the ultimate of celebrations in the South-East as the month signals homecoming for the people.
Marriage ceremonies, chieftaincy installations, launching of development projects, inter-community football youth tournaments, among other programmes, are usually the highlights of the period.
But while those at home are awaiting the returnees, South-East cities are already bubbling for the festive season.
In Abia State, traffic in and out of the state, especially Aba, the state’s commercial hub, has increased.
However, the 2025 Christmas in Abia started on December 7, 2025, with the illumination of Brass Junction by the management of Nigerian Breweries with “Amstel Malta Legendary Christmas Light-Up”, setting the tone for the commencement of the 2025 yuletide.
With the lights on Christmas trees, Brass Junction is now attracting residents, who appreciate art, thereby extending business hours within Brass and Nicholas streets.
Excited at the gesture, Alex Otti, governor of Abia State, who was represented by Matthew Ekwuribe, commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, said that it is a first-of-its-kind in Aba, while urging Abians in diaspora, who wished to come home for Christmas not to think twice, as the state is ready to host them with better roads and adequate security.
Also, part of the festive activities in Abia is the 2025 Abia International Film Festival, which ran from December 19-21, 2025 at Cine 21, Aba.
The festival drew many from within and outside the country to Aba for the first time and during the yuletide.
BusinessDay also observed that the improved road network in Aba, is attracting patrons from different parts of the country, especially the neighbouring South-East and South-South states, who are trooping to the city to shop for the yuletide.
Read also: Detty December: The season that wants your wallet
The influx of shoppers has also increased traffic along Aba-Owerri Road, leading to the Aba Shopping Centre (Ekeoha Market), a textile market, Eziukwu Road Market, which hosts stockfish, beverages clusters and Ahia Ohuru, cloth market.
Faulks Road is also busy as it leads to the Ariaria International Market, BusinessDay further observed.
As well, as part of efforts for a seamless yuletide season, the Abia government canceled the monthly environmental sanitation exercise earlier scheduled for December 20, 2025.
Owerri is also bubbling for the yuletide.
The Imo State capital and the acclaimed hub of entertainment in the South-East, is already witnessing the influx of people, who are coming to enjoy Christmas with their families and loved ones.
Traders in the markets across the city; the Old Market at Douglas Road, Alaba Market Naze, along Aba Road and the Relief Market at Egbu Road, are smiling to the bank due to the high patronage from people shopping for the festive season.
The hotels are recording impressive bookings from guests outside the city, while clubs, restaurants and lounges are getting busier with more patrons since December 20th.
Ogunyemi Odunayo Julius, general manager, Swiss Beland International Hotel, Owerri, confirmed the impressive festive bookings for standard hotels in Owerri for the yuletide and New Year.
He envisaged a huge homecoming this year, particularly in the towns (Owerri) because the security situation has improved and there is improvement in the road network.
“Apart from having fun, I believe a lot of people would want to see the areas they would want to exploit,” Julius said.
In Akwa Ibom, it is a month-long festival with what the state tagged ‘Christmas Unplugged’, which has also provided limitless opportunity for shoppers for one month from December 1 to 30, 2025, amid music, dance and entertainment.
Those already in the state, particularly Uyo, the capital city, will confirm that Christmas in Akwa Ibom is ongoing and Detty December is everyday. The 32-day “Christmas Unplugged” features exciting activities such as a cultural carnival ( daily showcasing of rich cultural performances and culinary from each LGA), Akwa Ibom Christmas Carol, Old Skool Night, Dinner at the Marina, and New Year Praize Concert on January 2, 2026.
Earlier in November, the residents had the opportunity to shop for cheaper or rather discounted items during the four-day Tropicana Trade Fair that brought over 200 exhibitors.
Read also: Detty December: Hotels gain as visitors shun soaring short-let rents
Jos, the Plateau State capital, is disregarding the security challenge to roll out colourful drums for the festive season, with exciting activities, while hotels are fully booked by mostly Indigenes who cannot go to the hinterlands due to the fear of being kidnapped.
Yet, the fight has ceased in Rivers as Port Harcourt bubbles once more for the festive season. Indigenes, residents and visitors are in for an exciting festive outing as hotels, beaches, restaurants and lounges have assured of enthralling offerings, while the state government insist that peace has returned and security assured.
In all, despite the high cost of transportation, both road and air, even insecurity, many Nigerians are already enjoying the festive season, having worked hard all through the passing year.
