The Cross River State Government, through the Cross River State Carnival Commission, in partnership with Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd., has officially unveiled a suite of digital platforms designed to transform registration, online voting, stakeholder management, and global participation in Carnival Calabar.
The platforms were unveiled during the Digital Streaming and Online Voting Dashboard Conference and Demonstration for Stakeholders held on Friday, July 31, at the Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu Hall, Cross River State Library, Calabar.
The initiative marks another milestone in the State Government's commitment to leveraging technology to strengthen Carnival Calabar's position as Africa's Biggest Street Party while improving accessibility, transparency, operational efficiency, and economic opportunities for stakeholders across the tourism and creative sectors.
The conference brought together government officials, carnival administrators, band leaders, technology professionals, media partners, tourism stakeholders, and guests to witness firsthand how digital innovation will shape the future of Carnival Calabar.
Among those in attendance were the Chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Sir Gabe Onah; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Events Management, Sir Effiong Ekpenyong; the Executive Chairman of the Cross River State Internal Revenue Service, Prince Edwin Okon; the Chief Executive Officer of Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd., Miss Ajoke Akinlabi; the Chief Technology Officer of Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd., Mr. Godswill Adie; the Head of Business at Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd., Mr. Victory Bassey; the senior project Manager Nugi Media and Entertainment., Miss Regina Odok, the Chairman of the Carnival Calabar Bands Association, Mr. Eric Anderson, alongside band leaders, media partners, tourism stakeholders, and other invited guests.
Delivering the welcome address, the Chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Commission, Sir Gabe Onah, described the digital transformation of Carnival Calabar as a significant step in the continued evolution of one of Africa's most celebrated cultural festivals.
He noted that Carnival Calabar has grown beyond a state event into an internationally recognised tourism brand that attracts visitors and supporters from around the world. As the festival continues to expand, he said technology has become essential to improving participation, transparency, accessibility, and operational efficiency while preserving the culture and heritage that define the carnival.
Sir Gabe Onah encouraged all stakeholders to embrace the digital platforms as tools that will broaden participation, particularly by enabling Nigerians in the diaspora and supporters across the world to become active participants in the festival regardless of location.
Speaking on behalf of the Cross River State Government, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Events Management, Sir Effiong Ekpenyong, highlighted the broader economic opportunities the digital transformation presents for the state.
He explained that the introduction of digital platforms will create sustainable revenue opportunities for carnival bands, vendors, creatives, hospitality businesses, and other participants within the tourism value chain while strengthening Cross River State's position as Nigeria's leading tourism destination.
He further urged stakeholders to become ambassadors of Carnival Calabar by promoting the festival through their personal and professional networks, noting that collective promotion remains one of the strongest drivers of global visibility.
As the technology partner for the initiative, Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd. presented the digital solutions developed in collaboration with the Cross River State Carnival Commission to support the State Government's vision for a smarter and more globally connected Carnival Calabar.
Representing the President of Nugi Group, Mr. Ugi Augustine Ugi, the Chief Executive Officer of Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd., Miss Ajoke Akinlabi, described Carnival Calabar as a global cultural brand deserving of world-class digital infrastructure capable of making participation easier, more transparent, and more accessible without losing the excitement and authenticity that define the festival.
She unveiled two flagship platforms developed for the carnival: the Carnival Calabar Online Voting Platform and the Carnival Calabar Band Membership Platform.
The Online Voting Platform enables supporters from anywhere in the world to securely vote for their favourite carnival bands, giving members of the diaspora and international audiences an opportunity to participate regardless of location.
The Band Membership Platform allows individuals to register with their preferred bands, purchase costumes, receive updates, and remain actively engaged throughout the carnival season.
According to her, the platforms go beyond convenience by creating new revenue opportunities through digital costume sales, strengthening engagement between bands and supporters, and extending Carnival Calabar's global reach.
She explained that while the web platform provides the Carnival Commission and band administrators with comprehensive dashboards for stakeholder management, analytics, reporting, and administration, the mobile experience enables users to register and vote seamlessly through the My Cross River App.
Miss Akinlabi also acknowledged the vision of the President of Nugi Group, Mr. Ugi Augustine Ugi, whose commitment to innovation continues to support Cross River State's digital transformation agenda.
The conference featured a live demonstration of the digital ecosystem led by the Head of Business at Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd., Mr. Victory Bassey.
Stakeholders were taken through the complete registration process, online voting experience, and administrative dashboard. The demonstration also showed how participants can conveniently register and vote through the My Cross River App.
Band leaders were introduced to dedicated management dashboards that enable them to monitor registrations, manage memberships, track revenue, generate reports, and withdraw funds directly into their designated bank accounts.
Mr. Bassey explained that the technology was designed to help Carnival Calabar reach audiences beyond geographical boundaries while supporting sustainable growth for participating bands through efficient digital management.
She explained that the platform promotes tourism by showcasing destinations through technology, hospitality, local businesses, events, attractions, restaurants, accommodation, and visitor experiences, creating new opportunities for businesses while helping travellers discover cities more easily.
She described Carnival Calabar as one of Africa's strongest tourism products and noted that digital storytelling will play a significant role in ensuring that the world experiences Cross River State beyond the carnival season.
An interactive question-and-answer session provided stakeholders with the opportunity to engage directly with the technology team on platform performance, implementation timelines, voting methodology, revenue remittance, stakeholder participation, and integration with existing band websites.
Responding to the questions, Mr. Victory Bassey assured participants that the platforms are built on scalable infrastructure capable of supporting high user volumes throughout the carnival season.
He explained that revenue generated through the platforms will be managed securely, with participating bands having access to transparent financial reporting and direct withdrawals into their registered accounts.
He added that the platforms were developed in close collaboration with the Cross River State Carnival Commission and will continue to evolve through stakeholder feedback to ensure they meet the needs of every participating band.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Carnival Calabar Bands Association, Mr. Eric Anderson, welcomed the initiative as an important milestone in the continued evolution of Carnival Calabar.
He commended the partnership between the Cross River State Carnival Commission and Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd., describing the platforms as timely innovations that will strengthen engagement between bands and supporters while opening new opportunities for global participation.
He encouraged all band leaders to embrace the transition and work collectively towards building a stronger, more globally recognised Carnival Calabar.
In his closing remarks, Sir Effiong Ekpenyong commended the partnership between the Cross River State Government, the Cross River State Carnival Commission, and Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd., describing innovation as a critical driver of tourism development and economic growth.
Closing the conference, Sir Gabe Onah called on all stakeholders to support the ongoing digital transformation of Carnival Calabar, describing technology as a key enabler of a more transparent, inclusive, profitable, and globally connected festival.
The conference concluded with renewed optimism as stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to working together to deliver a smarter, more inclusive, and digitally connected Carnival Calabar.
As preparations continue for the 2026 edition of Africa's Biggest Street Party, the Cross River State Government, through the Cross River State Carnival Commission and in partnership with Nugi Technologies Nig. Ltd., remains committed to using technology to expand participation, strengthen tourism, create economic opportunities, and connect Carnival Calabar with audiences across the world.
