Detty December: Adaolisa Onwuebe urges Lagos hospitality brands to invest in PR

Lagos’ hospitality industry is entering another major festive season with an opportunity that is becoming increasingly difficult for brands to ignore: visibility during Detty December is no longer simply about being seen; it is about being strategically positioned to capture a growing pool of local and international spending.

The numbers from the 2025 festive season tell the story.

According to The Economics of Euphoria: Lagos’ Detty December 2025 Report by MO Africa Co., consumer spending across the 55-day festive period reached ₦396.54 billion, with hospitality and accommodation accounting for ₦175.40 billion, or 44.23% of total spending, the largest spending category during the period. Some 3.6 million people participated in the festive economy, while international visitors contributed 55% of total consumer spending.

The scale of that spending presents a clear opportunity for Lagos’ hotels, restaurants, lounges, beach clubs, resorts, short-let operators, event venues and other hospitality businesses.

But as the market grows, so does the competition for attention.

With thousands of visitors descending on Lagos during the festive season and travellers increasingly discovering restaurants, hotels and experiences online before they arrive, having a great product is no longer enough. Hospitality brands also need to ensure that the right people know about it.

This is where public relations becomes a strategic investment.

“Detty December has evolved beyond a cultural moment. It is now a significant commercial period for Lagos, and hospitality brands need to approach it with the same level of strategy they would apply to any major business opportunity,” says Molokwu Peter.

“Consumers have more options than ever before. They are researching where to stay, where to eat, where to go and what experiences are worth paying for. PR gives hospitality brands the opportunity to build awareness, establish credibility and become part of the consideration set before a potential customer even arrives in Lagos.”

The international opportunity is particularly significant.

The 2025 report recorded approximately 400,000 global arrivals, with travellers from the United States accounting for 27% of international arrivals, making the U.S. the largest source market ahead of the United Kingdom for the first time. International travellers also spent an estimated $384.5 million on air travel to Lagos during the period.

For hospitality brands, this means the potential customer is no longer limited to someone living in Lagos or another Nigerian city.

A traveller planning a December trip from London, New York, Houston, Atlanta or Toronto may already be deciding where they want to stay, which restaurants they want to visit and which experiences they want to have before they board a flight.

The brands that appear in those conversations have an advantage.

Strategic PR can help create that visibility by putting hospitality businesses in front of travel, lifestyle, food, business and culture publications; securing credible third-party coverage; creating conversations around new experiences; and positioning brands as destinations worth including in a Lagos itinerary.

For restaurants, that could mean becoming the restaurant visitors add to their December plans.

For hotels, it could mean being considered by travellers looking for accommodation. For emerging hospitality concepts, it could mean moving from being known by a small local audience to becoming a destination recognised by visitors coming into the city.

And the opportunity should not end when December does.

A strong PR strategy can help hospitality brands build lasting brand equity, attract new audiences throughout the year and position Lagos as a destination beyond the festive season.

The growth of Detty December is already demonstrating that there is significant demand for hospitality in Lagos. The question now is whether brands are doing enough to ensure they are visible to the people driving that demand.

With ₦175.40 billion spent on hospitality and accommodation during the 2025 festive period alone, the business case for competing for that audience is clear.

For Lagos hospitality brands, PR should no longer be considered an optional extra. It should be part of the investment strategy.