Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) has announced the maiden edition of its 2025 GTCO Food & Drink Festival – Holiday Edition, with more than 213 vendors expected to showcase their products after emerging from over 4,000 applications.
Scheduled for December 20 and 21 at the GT Centre, Oniru, Lagos, this first-ever holiday-themed edition expands Africa’s largest food exhibition by introducing a festive twist aimed at enriching end-of-year celebrations for families, food lovers and small businesses.
All 213 vendors will receive free exhibition stalls, providing SMEs with a rare high-traffic platform to boost visibility, grow revenue and strengthen their presence in Nigeria’s food and beverage market. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, GTCO stressed that the large number of exhibitors demonstrates its commitment to bolstering the country’s culinary economy.
GTCO Group CEO, Segun Agbaje, described the festival as a celebration of creativity and enterprise.
“The GTCO Food & Drink Festival has grown into a powerful platform for celebrating enterprise, creativity, and the richness of African cuisine. The Holiday Edition reflects our commitment to creating joyful shared experiences while supporting SMEs across the food and beverage value chain,” he said.
The holiday timing is expected to be a major attraction, aligning with a season when families seek entertainment, diaspora visitors return home, and businesses experience heightened demand. The event is designed to create a vibrant marketplace for vendors to maximise festive sales while offering families memorable holiday experiences.
The Holiday Edition will introduce several new features, including a dedicated children’s play zone with holiday-themed games and curated entertainment. A Streetwear Hub will spotlight Nigeria’s growing urban fashion scene through designer pop-ups, live demonstrations and exclusive drops. Guests will also enjoy DJ raves headlined by two of Nigeria’s top performers.
The two-day festival is expected to draw families, local and international visitors, culinary enthusiasts, fashion lovers and industry players. GTCO says the event will boost tourism, deepen community engagement and further position Lagos as a global hub for food, fashion and lifestyle experiences.
