The Festival of Lights is the first item on the programme of events for the Lagos Countdown which would take place on the 19th of December. You will find below an interesting article and enthralling photos of the event which started last year.

‘Light at the end of the tunnel’ is a familiar idiom. However, during the December festive period in Lagos state, we do not have to wait to get to the end of the tunnel before we see the light because the light is at the entrance illuminating the tunnel.

The lightning effect, the blaze of colours, the razzmatazz and the synchronised spectacle in its grandiloquence typifies the festival of lights.

The festival of lights, which started last year, is organised by Lagos State Signage and Advertisements Agency (LASAA) in conjunction with the Lagos State Electricity Board.

The Lagos Countdown begins when the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola officially “switches on” the Lagos Festival of Lights, heralding the holiday season with thousands of decorative lights from the entire stretch of the Marina through Ahmadu Bello Way to Bar Beach.

Last year, the Festival of Lights train rode in the Open roofed Eko Tourist Bus from Marina through the stretch to Ahmadu Bello Way to the cheers and colourful displays of several groups who dotted the road, arriving at the Akin Adesola junction of the Bar Beach which had been a centre point of a carnival like celebration to usher in the holiday season programme.

Lagos is again set to play host to a world class cross over festival. One thing that keeps reverberating in these activities is the desire to etch Lagos credential of being a tourist centre among the upper echelon tourist zones.

According to Gov. Fashola, the Lagos Countdown “means much more tourism exposure” coming along with “investment, opportunities and possibilities”.

Corroborating the State Governor’s stand, Managing Director of Lagos State Signage and Advertisements Agency (LASAA), Mr George Noah said: “the strategic intent for hosting the event is to put Lagos on the global tourism map in the league of cities as New York, London, Sydney, Paris, Los Angeles and other major destinations that will be commemorating the cross over”.


This year promises to be better than last year’s celebration and as Mr Noah puts it: “It would be a new year unlike any before, as we will be celebrating in Lagos with the whole of the world participating with us”.

The Pre-Lagos Countdown starts from the 7th December this year with activities like open mic night, karaoke night, disco party night, party Africana... The Countdown itself is on the 31st where we will have 60 naija A+ Artiste performing.

There are some facts you should know about the Lagos Countdown. Here are some.

• The Lagos countdown was conceived on the state governor’s determination to leverage the event for the positioning of Lagos as a premium destination for business and leisure.

• The Lagos Countdown is a Lagos state initiative driven by Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA).

• It took Lagos state two weeks to prepare for last year’s countdown.

• This year’s Lagos Countdown celebrations will take place at the Bar beach, Victoria Island; the same venue used last year.

• Majority of the funds being used to execute the countdown is from the private sector.

• Nigeria Breweries Plc. is the title sponsor for the second year running.

• The finale of the countdown will be broadcast live on Channel O to 50 countries in Africa, courtesy Multichoice.

• There would be free Wi-Fi internet service provided by ICSL for the entire duration of the countdown at the bar beach.

• Over 50 artistes have been slated to perform at this year’s countdown.

• Over 100,000 people are expected at the bar beach this year during the countdown celebration; a double of what was obtainable last year.

• This might probably not fall under the facts of Lagos Countdown but it is a certainty- Lagos Countdown 2013 will be spectacular.

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It was a night an evening of Glamour as activities for this year's Lagos Countdown kicked off in earnest on Friday November 15th 2013 with a press conference at the LASAA head office to unveil the event sponsors as well as the countdown ambassadors.



Among the countdown sponsors are Nigeria Breweries Plc, Zenith Bank, Airtel, Mikano, Pepsi, Forte oil, Dangote group and ICSL.



Ambassadors for this years event are Michael Collins (Don Jazzy) and Funke Akindele (Jenifaa)


It was an evening of fun and good music as several goodwill messages from the sponsors and ambassadors were received.



The Lagos countdown event kicks off from the December 7 at the Bar beach, Victoria Island.


http://lagoscountdown..com/2013/11/lagos-state-unveils-tlc-2013-sponsors.html