The Akwa Ibom Food Festival 2025 has been officially unveiled with the State Government pledging support for the success of the event.
Ukpong Umoh, Convener of the festival and Chief Executive Officer of De-Noahua Tours Enterprise, said the initiative was designed to “optimise our cuisines, tourism, taste, and economy,” while promoting indigenous dishes and stimulating growth in the state’s agro-allied and tourism sectors.
Umoh explained that the festival, which is scheduled to hold from November 18 to 22, 2025 at the Unity Park, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, seeks to bridge the gap between local farmers and food processing companies, promote food security, and restore the pride of Akwa Ibom’s rich culinary heritage.
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He further revealed that the maiden edition, held in 2013, attracted over 1.5 million participants from all walks of life, including farmers, chefs, government officials, NGOs, and academia. The 2025 edition, according to him, targets over five million participants, with activities such as cooking competitions, seminars, exhibitions, and capacity-building workshops for farmers and agro-entrepreneurs.
“This year’s edition is not just an event; it is a movement, a War Against Hunger, aimed at empowering our farmers, showcasing our native cuisines, and promoting sustainable agro-allied investments,” Umoh stated.
He emphasised that the festival aligns with Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda on food security, tourism, and hospitality development, describing the collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as essential in taking food tourism to a new height.
Representing the State Government, Aniekan Umana, the Commissioner for Information, through Affiong Godwin, Director, Uyo Zone, Ministry of Information, who spoke at the unveiling, commended the initiative and pledged the State Government’s partnership with the organisers through Inter-Ministerial collaboration.
He assured that the Government is ready to support all efforts aimed at promoting the state’s agricultural value chain, cultural identity, and tourism potentials.
“The State Government, under the leadership of Governor Umo Eno, is committed to any initiative that fosters food security, boosts tourism, and empowers our people. The Akwa Ibom Food Festival 2025 is a welcome development that will further project our state as Nigeria’s food and tourism destination,” the Commissioner noted.
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Umoh also called on Corporate Organisations, Government Agencies, and local stakeholders to mobilise support, register, and participate fully in the upcoming event, promising that the festival will reward excellence and innovation in the agro and culinary industries.
The Akwa Ibom Food Festival 2025 will feature cooking competitions involving chefs from all 31 Local Government Areas, exhibitions of indigenous cuisines, farmers’ awards, and business networking sessions.
The event, he concluded, “will not only celebrate our food heritage but also create sustainable economic opportunities for our people.”
