Overview
The Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival is listed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is an annual four-day fishing festival that has been held in the northwestern state of Kebbi since 1934 before Nigeria’s independence.
The festival commences with an agricultural show, several displays of water sports, traditional Kebbawa entertainments and ends with the grand fishing competition in the Mata Fadan River. Argungu fishing festival is more than what the name entails, it is a celebration of unity, blessing and tradition. Argungu fishing festival is considered to be the biggest fishing festival in Africa, as thousands of fishermen display their pride and talent to the whole world.
The individual with the biggest fish within an hour, which is called the giwan ruwa (water beast) is declared the winner of the Argungu fishing festival. The winner walks home with a whopping 10 million naira cash, two brand new cars, two Hajj seats as well as many other consolation prizes for the runner ups, from the second to the hundredth.
The Argungu fishing festival promotes the culture of the Argungu people as well as a Nigerian and an African Culture, this makes it a very much revered culture. It is the biggest fishing festival in Africa and attracts a lot of internal and external tourists which equally generates a lot of economic activity within the days it’s being held. It is also an avenue for nation-building, tourism as well as promotes peace.
The four day festival runs between late February and March.