Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, GTCO, will on Saturday, December 20, 2025, open the maiden Holiday Edition of the GTCO Food & Drink Festival in Lagos, marking a strategic expansion of Africa’s largest food and beverage platform into the festive season.
The two-day event, scheduled for December 20 and 21, will hold at the GT Centre, Plot 1 Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Lagos, and will run daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm. The festival is free and open to the public.
Designed to coincide with one of the most commercially active periods of the year, the Holiday Edition is curated to deliver a blend of culinary experiences, family-friendly entertainment and enterprise development, while sustaining the festival’s core objective of supporting Nigerian food entrepreneurs.
GTCO said the Holiday Edition reflects its evolving approach to experience-led engagement, with a strong emphasis on immersive consumer experiences.
This year’s event will feature 213 Nigerian-owned food and beverage businesses, selected from more than 4,000 applications nationwide, further reinforcing the festival’s relevance as a viable commercial platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and a contributor to Nigeria’s creative economy.
Festival-goers are expected to experience a wide range of offerings, including traditional Nigerian dishes, contemporary street food, artisanal beverages and modern fusion cuisine.
Participating vendors include MelonyPine, Firewood Jollof Nigeria, Dundu Nation, Polo Club Suya, Thugg Burgers, Pizzawheels, Chow Noodle Bar, Jazzy’s Burger, 247 Drinks and 247 Cocktails, The Coconut Lady, Pancakes & Co., Butterfly Bakery, Amala Place Canteen, Nonos Catering, Sooyah Bistro and Mmaabacha, among others.
Unlike previous editions, the Holiday Edition has been structured to prioritise festive engagement over instructional programming. Attractions include a Christmas Village featuring curated gift items and seasonal treats, an expanded Street Food Hub, a dedicated Children’s Play Zone, and continuous live DJ performances throughout the event.
Speaking on the significance of the Holiday Edition, Group Chief Executive Officer of GTCO Plc, Mr Segun Agbaje, said the festival remains a strong platform for enterprise development while fostering shared cultural experiences.
He noted that the Holiday Edition provides an opportunity to support food entrepreneurs during a peak sales period, while offering families and communities a high-quality and accessible festive destination.
In line with its commitment to inclusive growth, GTCO retained its zero-cost participation model for vendors, ensuring that small and medium-sized businesses benefit from increased visibility, customer engagement and revenue generation without financial barriers.
The GTCO Food & Drink Festival: Holiday Edition underscores the Group’s belief in making cultural experiences, creativity and economic opportunity accessible, positioning the event as a convergence of commerce, culture and celebration during the holiday season.
