The Valentine celebration may have come and gone but the way it was celebrated remains fresh in our memories. For instance, an institute did a research on preparation for it and a report has been released. It is contained in a fresh SBM Intelligence report, which is titled “Love in the Air: How Nigerian Consumers Are Driving Valentine’s Day Growth in 2025”. The report revealed a robust upswing in Valentine’s Day spending across Nigeria.
The report indicates that nearly 80 per cent of consumers planned to allocate their budgets toward food and perfumes, underscoring a strong preference for sentimental and practical gifts.
It also highlights a notable rise in overall participation with 85.6 per cent of respondents in Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt planning to celebrate, up from 62.8 per cent last year.
This increased enthusiasm translated into higher spending, as 33 per cent of those surveyed said they earmarked between N51,000 and N100,000 for the occasion.
High end budgets have surged too, with the proportion of consumers planning to spend over N500,000 nearly tripling compared to the previous year.
The report stated that “Almost 80 per cent of consumers plan to spend their money on food and perfumes. The rest, 28.2 per cent, 23.9 per cent, 23.4 per cent, 22.8 per cent, 22.3 per cent, 18 per cent and 10 per cent will spend on jewellery, roses, watches, female shoes, wigs, chocolates, hampers, and smartphones, respectively.”
Beyond traditional gifts, the study emphasises a growing shift toward experiential celebrations. Dining out leads the trend, with 27 per cent planning to visit restaurants, while 20 per cent opt for cinemas.
Hotels and local vacation spots also attract significant interest at 11 per cent and 10 per cent respectively, complemented by modest plans for street food outings (9 per cent) and beach visits (6.1 per cent).
In contrast, international travel remains limited at 3.4 per cent due to financial constraints, with parties, clubs, and art galleries appealing to only a small segment.
The report also sheds light on consumer motivations. Personal sentiment drives spending for 36.6 per cent of respondents, followed by social media trends at 25.3 per cent.
Traditional values and societal expectations account for 19.9 per cent, while advertising campaigns influence 16.7 per cent.
Notably, 79.3 per cent of consumers stated that societal pressure does not affect their purchasing decisions.
Retail dynamics are evolving as well. Department stores (31.8 per cent) and shopping malls (30.3 per cent) remain the preferred venues for in-person purchases.
However, the convenience of online shopping is gaining momentum, with 18.4 per cent of consumers turning to e-commerce platforms and 17.8 per cent favouring boutiques.
As Nigeria navigates economic challenges, the sustained discretionary spending for this year’s Valentine’s Day reflects a resilient consumer outlook and points to a broader trend where quality experiences and carefully chosen gifts take center stage.
