The President of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN), Femi Fadina, has urged Nigerians in the diaspora to transform their annual festive homecomings into strategic investment opportunities that would strengthen the nation’s creative economy.
Fadina made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Lagos, ahead of the 2025 Detty December celebrations. He encouraged the diaspora to view their visits as opportunities for cultural and financial reinvestment, not just seasonal entertainment.
“Every concert, every curated experience, every cultural homecoming can – and should – be a conversion funnel for investment engagement,” Fadina said.
According to him, ATPN aims to reposition Detty December from fun to fund, increasing diaspora participation in Nigeria’s creative economy from a residual 15% to an active 25% investment interest.
“Don’t just come home to party. Come home to partner,” he added.
Fadina highlighted that while a significant portion of diaspora spending currently goes into family support, entertainment, and short-term consumption, efforts should focus on channeling this capital into long-term equity investments that drive sustainable growth.
He noted that the 2024 Detty December generated about N1.5 trillion in domestic spending across hospitality, logistics, nightlife, and entertainment, but less than 10% of that was reinvested into creative infrastructure or destination development.
To promote strategic engagement, ATPN has unveiled a calendar of events for 2025, including Creative Capital Week, EWA Experience Series, and a Cultural Economy Roundtable to measure the economic impact of the festivities.
“We must move from consumerism to capital formation, from temporary spectacle to sustainable structure, from cultural excitement to cultural enterprise. Detty December is not just a party, it’s a platform for prosperity. Fun must now fund the future,” Fadina emphasized.
