Leading telecommunications solutions provider, Globacom, has announced the sponsorship of this year’s edition of Ofala Festival scheduled to hold in Onitsha, Anambra State, in October, 2025.
The annual event is a customary obligation performed by His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha. The two-day celebration will comprise the Iru Ofala on October 17 and the Azu Ofala on 18th.
Globacom, which is the major sponsor of the festival, said at a press conference held by the Ofala Festival Organising Committee at Ime Obi, Obi’s Palace, Onitsha, on Thursday that it had supported the event since 2011 because of its faith in the nation’s huge cultural heritage and its potential to create employment and boost revenue generation. It restated its commitment to take the festival to the Global stage.
“In 2025, Nigeria’s tourism sector is projected to contribute ₦11.2 trillion to GDP, up from about ₦10.9 trillion in 2024. Domestic tourism expenditure is also expected to be around ₦6.1 trillion, while international visitor spending is forecast at about ₦803.2 billion. These figures show not only recovery from the disruptions of recent years, but strong growth. They underscore a simple truth: culture and tourism are not luxuries, they are vital to our economy, our identity, and our future.
“Globacom is committed to pushing that future forward. Our support for Ofala is part of a broader belief that investment in culture yields returns beyond the balance sheet. It builds communities, jobs, local businesses, pride,” the company noted.
It disclosed it was pairing this year’s sponsorship with concrete initiatives to make it a special delight for its customers. “We are designing a special package for our subscribers. We are Continuing aggressive roll-out and upgrade of network infrastructure across Nigeria, in particular to 4G-LTE in zones like the South East, so that all our subscribers will enjoy enhanced experience on the network on both voice and data services.
It also highlighted the two offerings it unveiled on Monday to give more value to Glo subscribers: The first is the Talkmasta plan designed to provide customers with extra talk time and data at no additional cost, while the second one is the Welcome Bonus which gives new subscribers unmatched benefits for joining the Glo community.
The Chairman of the Strategic Marketing and Communications Committee, Mr Nnaemeka Maduegbuna, disclosed that this year’s Ofala would start with the annual lecture series on October 7 and continue with Oreze Art Exhibition, a showcase of paintings, sculptures, and ceramics featuring works by Nigerian and African artists, Ofala Youth Carnival on October 15, Medical, Health, and Wellbeing Community Outreach, Iru Ofala on October 17, Azu Ofala on October 18, and a Royal Banquet to be hosted in honour of Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe on October 22.
He assured those planning to attend the festival that adequate arrangements had been made to ensure a spectacular event as well as the security and comfort of all the visitors. The press conference had in attendance senior palace chiefs and members of the organising committee.
