By Joe Ephraim, Calabàr
Nigerian music superstar, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, will headline the entertainment spectacle at this year’s Carnival Calabar, as the Cross River State Government promises a bigger and more colourful edition of the annual festival.
The Chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Mr Gabe Onah, disclosed this on Sunday during the first dry run of the 2026 Carnival Calabar, saying the award-winning artiste had already confirmed his participation in the festival.
Onah said Davido would be in Calabar to “mesmerise” revellers, while several other local and international participants were expected to join the carnival.
According to him, a number of countries have also indicated interest in participating in this year’s carnival, although discussions were still ongoing with some of them.
The commission chairman said the 2026 carnival was being staged under the theme, “Rethinking Our Collective Destiny,” which he said was designed to promote love, equality, unity and the common humanity of all people.
He explained that the carnival had evolved beyond entertainment to become a major economic and cultural platform capable of attracting tourists, creating opportunities for young people and generating revenue for the state.
Onah disclosed that the socioeconomic impact of last year’s Carnival Calabar was estimated at N19 billion, stressing that the commission was determined to surpass the figure this year.
He said the commission was also introducing greater digital participation through online registration and voting, allowing spectators to become active participants in determining the winning carnival band.
“With the handset all of you are holding now, there was born digitalisation, online registration, online voting. We are dedicating an immersive opportunity for spectators to contribute to who becomes the band of the year,” Onah said.
He said the initiative would enable people to register as band members and vote for their preferred bands, thereby transforming spectators from passive observers into active participants in the carnival.
On the expected turnout, Onah said the number of revellers could range between 10,000 and 52,000, depending on the level of participation by the various bands.
He described Sunday’s event as the first dry run and a test of the state’s preparedness for the main carnival.
Onah said the resilience displayed by participants despite the downpour reflected the spirit of Carnival Calabar, which he described as a celebration of culture, love, creativity and humanity.
Earlier, the Deputy Governor, Rtd. Hon. Peter Odey, representing the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu who flagged off the event, assured that the rain would not stop the carnival,
saying this year’s edition would be bigger and better.
The 2026 Carnival Calabar is expected to draw thousands of revellers, tourists and visitors to Calabar.
Beyond Davido’s confirmed appearance, the planned expansion of digital voting and international participation points to a festival seeking to deepen public involvement while strengthening its cultural and economic impact.
