This insight was shared by Israel Jaiye Opayemi, Managing Director and Chief Strategist of Chain Reactions Africa Ltd, a prominent Public Relations consulting firm and the primary organizer of the festival.
Opayemi emphasized that while Chain Reactions Africa was responsible for the event's conceptualization, its success is largely attributed to the Governor's leadership. "The Lagos Shopping Festival would not have materialized without the Governor's endorsement of our ambitious vision when we initially presented it to him during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Moreover, the Governor's outstanding leadership as the project's Chief Marketing Officer played a crucial role in securing the support of major sponsors such as Zenith Bank, Tolaram Group, First Bank Plc, and Guinness Nigeria Plc," Opayemi stated.
Zenith Bank and First Bank not only provided mobile banking services for shoppers at the festival but also equipped vendors with specialized Point of Sale Machines to facilitate transactions. Additionally, the banks actively promoted their various financial products to attendees within the shopping venue.
Tolaram seized the opportunity to support the community and contribute to societal well-being. At the Lagos Shopping Festival, attendees received complimentary products from the company, including PowerOil, Indomie, and Kellogg’s, all packaged in goodie bags for potential customers at the event. The Children’s Arena was brought to life by Indomie, where children were entertained by Santa Claus in a well-equipped space managed by the Indomie Brands team alongside the Lagos State Safety Marshalls. Each day, children enjoyed free Indomie meals and received various gifts to take home.
Guinness Nigeria also played a significant role in enhancing the festival atmosphere by organizing product sampling activities for the enthusiastic guests. They showcased brands such as Singleton, Johnnie Walker, Ciroc, Don Royale, and Captain Morgan, providing enjoyable experiences in addition to their flagship products, Guinness and Malta Guinness.
During the festival's unveiling last month, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed gratitude to the management of Zenith Bank Plc, Tolaram Africa Group, Guinness Nigeria Plc, and First Bank of Nigeria for their support of the Lagos Shopping Festival. He highlighted its importance as a valuable addition to the state’s tourism calendar and its contribution to boosting the State’s GDP.
Girish Sharma, CEO of Guinness Nigeria Plc, conveyed his excitement regarding the initiative. He stated, “Lagos serves as the commercial hub of Nigeria and the entertainment capital of Africa, and the Lagos Shopping Festival embodies this spirit. We recognize the potential in this initiative as it creatively merges commerce with entertainment. This collaboration underscores our commitment to creating economic opportunities and supporting the dynamic entertainment sector of the nation.”
As a pioneering event, the festival seamlessly blended commerce and entertainment, uniting buyers and sellers within the MSME ecosystem alongside numerous entertainment enthusiasts. Attendees enjoyed exhilarating performances from top-tier artists such as Adekunle Gold, Wande Coal, Teni, Young Jonn, BNXN, Ayo Maff, SB Live, and EmmaOMG. The lineup also featured some of Nigeria's most popular DJs, including DJ Neptune, DJ YK Mule, and DJ Baddo, while Gbenga Adeyinka the 1st and Larry J provided hilarious comedy acts.
Taking place from December 23rd to 25th, 2024, at the renowned Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan Stadium in Lagos, the Lagos Shopping Festival attracted thousands of fans who flocked to the main venue and various Lagos malls over the three days to seize the latest deals from both local and international brands.