Argungu International Fishing Festival Returns, to Community's Excitement

Fishermen surge into the river as the crowd watches at the Argungu International Fishing Festival. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Abdulrahman Abubakar

By Rebecca Duras

On Saturday, February 14th, hundreds of fishermen splashed into the Matan Fadan river in northwestern Nigeria while crowds of thousands cheered them on from shore. Armed with only traditional fishing tools, they competed to catch the largest fish.

The fishing competition was the culmination of the Argungu International Fishing Festival, which was first held in 1934 to mark the peace between the Sokoto Caliphate and Argungu emirate. A decades-long staple of life for the community in this region of northern Nigeria, it was suspended in 2010, briefly returned in 2020 before another pandemic-related suspension, and finally returned this year.

Amazing Aerial’s Nigeria team travelled to Argungu to photograph the festival and its meaning for the local community, who see a ray of hope in the return of the festival after a difficult few years.

Returning to a Long-Suspended Festival

The fishermen stand ready with their nets and gourds, framed by the arm of an observer. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Abdulrahman Abubakar

When Abdulrahman Abubakar, one of Amazing Aerial’s most active Nigerian members, heard that the Argungu national festival was returning, he knew that he had to go. “Photographers from different parts of the world came to the festival, but for me, it was very important to photograph because I can share the story and promote the culture of my region through the festival,” he said.

The decades-long festival was suspended in 2010 for a few reasons. “The festival was paused mainly due to security concerns, environmental challenges affecting the river, and national restructuring efforts around tourism and safety,” shares Muhammad Sabo Sani, another one of Amazing Aerial’s photographers who attended the festival. Concerns about overfishing and drains on the river’s resources were one of the main reasons why the Sarkin Ruwa, the water chief who oversees the river and manages the festival, paused it. This region of northern Nigeria also saw growing instability over the past decade, which made holding a large international gathering unsafe. The initial attempted return in 2020 petered out because of the restrictions on large gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Crowds gather on a bridge as the main event of the festival gets underway. The massive attendance shows how important this festival is to attendees. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Kalada Briggs

Finally, in early 2026, the festival was ready to return. Inhabitants of Kebbi State, where Argungu is located, hoped for a much-needed boost in tourism revenue for the local economy and a reputation recharge for a region that has been much-maligned in the national and international media. “Its return is significant because it symbolizes resilience,” shares Fatima Yusuf, another Amazing Aerial photographer. “The revival of the festival shows the strength of cultural traditions and the determination of communities to preserve their identity despite challenges.”

Photographing the festival was particularly important for local photographers like Mahmud Ahmad Mahmud, who grew up hearing about the festival. “I have been dreaming of documenting the festival since I was a child seeing the pictures in textbooks and magazines,” he shares. “I consider this a compulsory thing to showcase my culture as an indigene of the state.”

Photographers who were traveling to Argungu from other states had a more difficult time getting there. Abdul had to travel from Kaduna, another city in northern Nigeria, which is over 600 kilometers and 10 hours away. “Our car broke down in Sokoto, and I had to take a tricycle to reach Kebbi state, which took almost 3 hours at night on a very bad road,” he says. Kalada Briggs, who is based in southern Nigeria, had an even longer journey to the festival. “Due to fully booked flights into Kebbi State, I had to travel through Sokoto before making my way to Argungu,” he says. “The high demand for travel during the festival period created a bottleneck for bookings, reflecting just how significant and popular the event has become.” Abdul also paid a physical price for his trip, contracting malaria and typhoid and breaking his glasses while at the festival, but it was all worth it to capture the story.

Celebrating Fish, And an Entire Community

Fishermen wait with their tools as the contest begins. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Abdulrahman Abubakar

The centerpiece of the Argungu International Fishing Festival is fishing. At the peak of the festival, thousands of fishermen compete to see who will catch the biggest fish using only traditional fishing tools. “What’s unique about this festival is that participants use traditional fishing tools like hand-woven nets and calabash gourds, and some even catch fish with their bare hands,” says Ali.

For photographers, capturing the fishing competition required careful preparation. “I had backup batteries and memory cards because once the fishermen run into the river, you cannot miss that moment,” says Muhammad. The competition happens so quickly, the photographers made sure they were ready to capture every moment, from the preparation to the triumphant catch of the biggest fish.

The main event attracted crowds of thousands, including other photographers, so Amazing Aerial’s team had to take precautions to get the best shot. “During the grind fishing, the president was there and it was hard for the press to fly drones, so I had to risk flying my drone from a bit further to get the shot of the fishermen running to the river,” says Abdul. 

Fishermen race towards the river as the contest begins. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Abdulrahman Abubakar

Navigating crowds and extensive security meant the photographers had to come up with creative solutions to capture the energy and liveliness of the festival, such as staking out their spots early and using drone maneuvers to get good angles of the action. The challenging situation on the ground also meant they had to be prepared to adjust on the spot. When the president’s security convoy restricted aerial flights, Kalada focused on ground photography instead, and his patience paid off. “After the presidential convoy departed, restrictions eased slightly, and I was able to capture a few aerial shots that revealed the true scale of the festival — thousands of participants and spectators gathered around the river in one of Nigeria’s most iconic cultural events,” he says.

The atmosphere of the fishing competition was intense, translating into dynamic, high-energy photos. “The energy when thousands of fishermen rushed into the river at once was electrifying,” says Mahmud. “The cheers from the crowd, the splashing water, and the celebration afterward created an atmosphere you could feel in your chest.”

 Although fishing is the main focus of the Argungu festival, the week-long event functions as a larger showcase of culture for the Hausa and Fulani people living in this part of Nigeria. Throughout the week, there were kokawa (traditional wrestling) competitions, archery competitions, cultural dance performances, craft displays, agricultural exhibitions, and a Durbar procession, a traditional parade of highly decorated horses.

Traditional wrestling matches were just some of the events on display during the festival. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Abdulrahman Abubakar

The diversity of these events shows that the Argungu festival is about more than fishing, although fishing is a crucial part of the livelihood of local people. The festival is an opportunity to show off one’s prowess, celebrate culture, and meet new people from around the region and even further, as many visitors came internationally. It matters a lot from a cultural standpoint, but also practically—the festival means real money in tourism and trade for the local economy, which shows why its return matters so much to the local community.

Amazing Aerial photographers like Fatima wanted to capture the festival in all of its diversity. “I researched the schedule of events, understood the cultural significance of each activity, and ensured my gear was ready for intense daylight shooting, water splashes, and large crowds,” Fatima says. “Beyond equipment, I prepared myself to be observant—to look beyond the obvious action and pay attention to quiet, in-between moments that tell deeper stories.” This careful preparation is what allowed Amazing Aerial’s team to capture such unique images.

Allowing Humanity to Shine in Photos

View of a joyful crowd of fishermen heading for the river. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Bappancey

The diversity of experiences and perspectives captured by Amazing Aerial’s photographers on the ground in Kebbi State were amazing, but that is not all that makes their work stand out. The sincere human moments amid the hustle and bustle shine through the work they produced.

For Muhammad, capturing the human aspect of the fishing competition was as important from a storytelling perspective as the festival highlights. “I captured the tension on fishermen’s faces before the whistle and the exhaustion and triumph after catching a fish,” he says. While for spectators, a visit to the Argungu fishing festival was an interesting bit of entertainment, for many of the fishermen, catching a big fish was their hope for feeding their families that day and hopefully earning some money. The stakes were much higher than a day of entertainment.

Fatima wanted to capture stories that don’t dominate the festival, but still matter to the local community. “I was drawn to stories slightly outside the central spectacle,” she said. “One of the most striking moments I documented was the female canoe riders — young girls confidently navigating the water. Seeing them participate in such a traditionally male-dominated environment was powerful.” She shares that although the festival is a celebration of traditional culture, moments such as the female canoe riders show that the festival’s traditions are evolving to meet new norms and community needs.

Nets stick out of the water as crowds surge towards the river. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Ali Abdullahi Muhammad 

For photographers from other parts of Nigeria, visiting the festival was an opportunity to take in just how culturally rich their country is. “I left Argungu the following day for Abuja, carrying with me not just photographs but a deeper appreciation of the cultural significance of the festival,” says Kalada. “It was a memorable experience, and one I would gladly return to document again and again.”

Capturing the moments of humanity in the quiet preparations of the fishermen or the careful attending of the medics to injured competitors show the very real stakes that the festival has for people. Everyone involved, from organizers to participants, put in their all to make the festival a success.

Abdul touched on the importance of the festival when explaining why he felt so compelled to go. “I decided to photograph this festival in order to change the narrative,” he says. “While other people focus on shooting only the festival, I focus on documenting the whole lifestyle of the people of Argungun.”

The Argungun International Fishing Festival is an opportunity for an entire community to showcase its culture and challenge the narrative of demise associated with the region. Amazing Aerial’s storytelling goes a long way towards showcasing this narrative.

Check Out More Stunning Photos Below!

A bird’s eye view of the crowds at Argungu International Fishing Festival. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Kalada Briggs

Aerial view of the crowds surging into the murky water of the river. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Abdulrahman Abubakar

Fishermen, their nets raised high, surge towards the river. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Bappancey 

A fisherman counts naira notes besides the catch of fish. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Abdulrahman Abubakar

Fishermen and their nets blend together against the backdrop of the river. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Ali Abdullahi Muhammad

Close-up of fishermen hard at work while kneeling on a mound of grass. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Abdulrahman Abubakar

Fishermen stake out their position for the main competition of the Argungu International Fishing Festival. © Amazing Aerial Agency / Abdulrahman Abubakar