THEME:
REBRANDING BORDER COMMUNITIES THROUGH CULTURE, ENTERPRISE, AND CREATIVE INTEGRATION
The Integration Art Palace proudly announces the 5th Edition of the Festival of Art for Economic Development, scheduled for February 8–14, 2026. This landmark edition expands into a cross-border cultural platform that strengthens cooperation between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
This year’s festival will showcase a vibrant blend of art, culture, enterprise, and youth empowerment, making it a unique celebration of creativity and integration across borders.
Registration is ongoing for all segments. Deadline: September 27, 2025.
⚡ Note: Empowerment Training starts October 2025 – hurry now to secure your place!
Selected artists from Nigeria and Benin will embark on a week-long residency, touring cultural and heritage sites in both countries. Their works, inspired by these experiences, will be unveiled in a grand exhibition before dignitaries, cultural leaders, and the public.
In partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service Ogun 1 Area Command, the festival will provide hands-on skills training for youths and women in borderline communities in:
1.) Fashion Design & Textile Arts
2.) Catering & Hospitality Management
3.) Crafts & Creative Enterprise
4.) Digital Arts, Music & Multimedia
5.) Cultural Entrepreneurship
6.) Events Management
Interested participants should send a motivational letter to: integrationartspalace@gmail.com.
Training kicks off in October 2025. Selected candidates will be invited for screening, and successful participants will be awarded certificates of completion.
10th Anniversary Edition.
Launched in Idiroko (2010) and hosted across Nigeria, Benin, and online, the Miss Integration Pageant returns with a rebranded 10th Anniversary Edition as the grand finale of the festival.
This edition will celebrate beauty, intelligence, cultural integration, and peace-building, featuring contestants from Nigeria, Benin, and beyond.
For participation - send e-mail to: integrationartspalace@gmail.com
Established: 2021
Organiser: Integration Art Palace & Tour
Strategic Partner: Nigeria Customs Service — Ogun 1 Area Command
Since its inception in 2021, the Festival of Art for Economic Development has grown into a signature cross-border platform that links arts, cultural diplomacy, youth empowerment and trade facilitation. Each edition of the Festival has been staged in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (Ogun 1 Area Command) and publicly endorsed by successive Customs Area Controllers (CACs) who have served at Ogun 1.
Timeline of Editions and Endorsements
1st Edition (2021) — Festival launched.
The Festival began in 2021 as an initiative of Integration Art Palace & Tour. Early leadership of Ogun-area Customs around this period included Comptroller Dera Nnadi, who has been publicly profiled in relation to Ogun/Idiroko customs leadership around 2021. .
2nd Edition — Endorsement by Comptroller Bamidele Makinde (Ogun 1)
Public posts and event coverage indicate that Comptroller Bamidele Makinde represented the Command during Festival activities and media interactions for an early edition of the series.
3rd Edition (2024) — Theme: “The Role of Nigeria Customs Service in Economic Development and National Security.”
The third edition (held 10–14 February 2024) was widely covered in national and local media and in the NCS newsletter. The event was hosted in collaboration with Ogun 1 Area Command and attended by tertiary institutions and secondary schools, with customs leaders represented at the symposiums and exhibitions. Comptroller Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu (often referenced in media as Shuaibu / Shuaib) is featured in coverage of the 2024 edition.
4th Edition (2025) — Theme: “Cross-Border Trade: What It Is, Why It Matters.”
The 4th edition took place from 8–15 February 2025 at Idiroko and was explicitly associated with Comptroller MS Shuaibu (reported in press coverage as the Customs Area Controller during the 2025 edition). Coverage described the festival’s cross-border focus and the Command’s institutional backing.
5th Edition (2026) — Theme: “Rebranding Border Communities through Culture, Enterprise, and Creative Integration.”
The 5th edition (announced for 8–14 February 2026) continues the cross-border expansion and is associated with Comptroller Godwin A. Otunla as the current Customs Area Controller for Ogun 1 in 2025–2026. Recent reports on Otunla’s leadership at Ogun 1 reference his engagement with border communities and collaborations with stakeholders, which positions the Command to continue its endorsement of the Festival.