Nigeria has announced bold plans to position itself at the forefront of Africa’s fashion and creative economy, with projections that the continent’s fashion industry could grow from $30 billion to over $500 billion in the coming years, under the newly adopted Afroliganza Vision.
Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, disclosed this during a world press conference in Abuja, where she formally declared Nigeria’s adoption and leadership of the Afroliganza Vision and the Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA) initiative.
Musawa said the development marks a major step in institutionalising Africa’s creativity and ensuring that culture and fashion become key pillars of economic transformation, diplomacy, and global soft power.
“We are not only adopting the Afroliganza Vision; we are leading it,” Musawa declared. “Nigeria is ready to champion the transformation of Africa’s fashion industry from a fragmented sector into a structured $500 billion powerhouse that will create jobs, promote exports, and amplify Africa’s voice globally.”
The Minister emphasised that the African fashion market is witnessing a renaissance, with global demand for African designs and textiles rising by over 40 percent. She noted that the Federal Government was determined to build the necessary infrastructure, policies, and trade frameworks to turn this momentum into measurable national and continental gains.
According to her, “Fashion is not just style—it’s strategy. Through Afroliganza and CAFA, Africa will move from inspiration to ownership, from fragmented creativity to collective prosperity. The world is ready to buy from Africa, and Nigeria will lead the supply.”
Musawa also announced the establishment of the Nigerian Fashion Federation (NFF)—a new national coordinating body that will align local industry players with continental strategies, ensure intellectual property protection, and promote Nigerian designers in international markets.
Musawa said the creative economy has moved from the fringes of public policy to the centre of Nigeria’s growth agenda, adding that the sector offers “a sustainable pathway to youth employment, innovation, and global competitiveness.”
“Culture is not just a vessel of identity but a driver of GDP,” she stressed. “With the structures we are building, our creative industries will not only entertain—they will employ, export, and empower.”
The Minister also revealed that the Federal Government is preparing to host Egbaliganza 2026 in Abeokuta—a continental showcase of unity, heritage, and innovation—and the African Global Fashion Games (AGFG) in 2027, envisioned as the continent’s equivalent of the Olympics for fashion and creativity.
Convener of the African Global Fashion Games (AGFG) and President of the Lai Labode Heritage Foundation, Dr. Balogun Lai Labode, hailed Nigeria’s leadership role in driving the Afroliganza Vision, describing it as a “historic pivot” for Africa’s global identity.
“Africa has always inspired the world,” Labode said, “but this time, we are not just inspiring—we are institutionalising. The African Global Fashion Games will be the stage where Africa’s creativity, commerce, and competitiveness converge.”
He explained that the Games would bring together over 80 national fashion teams and more than 200 independent and global entrants in a biennial competition designed to boost investment, create trade opportunities, and project African excellence to the world.
“Our goal is simple—to make Africa the world’s premier fashion growth engine,” Labode stated. “Through structured partnerships, national federations, and continental collaboration, we can create a value chain that sustains local artisans while attracting global investors.”
Both Musawa and Labode underscored that Africa’s creative industries are the continent’s next economic frontier, capable of surpassing traditional exports in value and creating millions of jobs.
Labode emphasised that the Afroliganza and CAFA frameworks will drive intra-African trade, manufacturing partnerships, and industrial expansion—turning creative talent into measurable trade and GDP growth.
“This is more than a fashion movement—it’s an economic revolution,” he said. “Every artisan, every designer, and every fabric we produce holds the potential to contribute to Africa’s prosperity.”
Musawa noted that the CAFA framework will coordinate continental fashion diplomacy, unify standards, and protect traditional designs and indigenous craftsmanship from exploitation. The initiative, she said, will also drive formal trade integration, increase access to export markets, and build cultural infrastructure across Africa.
She called on African nations to join Nigeria in adopting the Afroliganza Vision and institutionalising it through national policies, while inviting development partners, investors, and private stakeholders to seize the opportunities emerging from the new creative economy.
“The creative sector is not a side attraction—it is the main stage,” Musawa concluded. “Through Afroliganza, we are building Africa’s future with culture as capital, creativity as currency, and collaboration as our strategy.”
With Nigeria’s leadership and the support of CAFA and AGFG, analysts say the African fashion industry could soon rival Asia’s manufacturing base, transforming textiles, apparel, and design into major export commodities.
As Dr. Labode put it, “When Africa owns its creativity, it owns its future.”
And with the Afroliganza Vision now officially adopted by the Federal Government, Nigeria appears ready to lead that future from the runway to the global marketplace.
Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, disclosed this during a world press conference in Abuja, where she formally declared Nigeria’s adoption and leadership of the Afroliganza Vision and the Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA) initiative.
Musawa said the development marks a major step in institutionalising Africa’s creativity and ensuring that culture and fashion become key pillars of economic transformation, diplomacy, and global soft power.
“We are not only adopting the Afroliganza Vision; we are leading it,” Musawa declared. “Nigeria is ready to champion the transformation of Africa’s fashion industry from a fragmented sector into a structured $500 billion powerhouse that will create jobs, promote exports, and amplify Africa’s voice globally.”
The Minister emphasised that the African fashion market is witnessing a renaissance, with global demand for African designs and textiles rising by over 40 percent. She noted that the Federal Government was determined to build the necessary infrastructure, policies, and trade frameworks to turn this momentum into measurable national and continental gains.
According to her, “Fashion is not just style—it’s strategy. Through Afroliganza and CAFA, Africa will move from inspiration to ownership, from fragmented creativity to collective prosperity. The world is ready to buy from Africa, and Nigeria will lead the supply.”
Musawa also announced the establishment of the Nigerian Fashion Federation (NFF)—a new national coordinating body that will align local industry players with continental strategies, ensure intellectual property protection, and promote Nigerian designers in international markets.
Musawa said the creative economy has moved from the fringes of public policy to the centre of Nigeria’s growth agenda, adding that the sector offers “a sustainable pathway to youth employment, innovation, and global competitiveness.”
“Culture is not just a vessel of identity but a driver of GDP,” she stressed. “With the structures we are building, our creative industries will not only entertain—they will employ, export, and empower.”
The Minister also revealed that the Federal Government is preparing to host Egbaliganza 2026 in Abeokuta—a continental showcase of unity, heritage, and innovation—and the African Global Fashion Games (AGFG) in 2027, envisioned as the continent’s equivalent of the Olympics for fashion and creativity.
Convener of the African Global Fashion Games (AGFG) and President of the Lai Labode Heritage Foundation, Dr. Balogun Lai Labode, hailed Nigeria’s leadership role in driving the Afroliganza Vision, describing it as a “historic pivot” for Africa’s global identity.
“Africa has always inspired the world,” Labode said, “but this time, we are not just inspiring—we are institutionalising. The African Global Fashion Games will be the stage where Africa’s creativity, commerce, and competitiveness converge.”
He explained that the Games would bring together over 80 national fashion teams and more than 200 independent and global entrants in a biennial competition designed to boost investment, create trade opportunities, and project African excellence to the world.
“Our goal is simple—to make Africa the world’s premier fashion growth engine,” Labode stated. “Through structured partnerships, national federations, and continental collaboration, we can create a value chain that sustains local artisans while attracting global investors.”
Both Musawa and Labode underscored that Africa’s creative industries are the continent’s next economic frontier, capable of surpassing traditional exports in value and creating millions of jobs.
Labode emphasised that the Afroliganza and CAFA frameworks will drive intra-African trade, manufacturing partnerships, and industrial expansion—turning creative talent into measurable trade and GDP growth.
“This is more than a fashion movement—it’s an economic revolution,” he said. “Every artisan, every designer, and every fabric we produce holds the potential to contribute to Africa’s prosperity.”
Musawa noted that the CAFA framework will coordinate continental fashion diplomacy, unify standards, and protect traditional designs and indigenous craftsmanship from exploitation. The initiative, she said, will also drive formal trade integration, increase access to export markets, and build cultural infrastructure across Africa.
She called on African nations to join Nigeria in adopting the Afroliganza Vision and institutionalising it through national policies, while inviting development partners, investors, and private stakeholders to seize the opportunities emerging from the new creative economy.
“The creative sector is not a side attraction—it is the main stage,” Musawa concluded. “Through Afroliganza, we are building Africa’s future with culture as capital, creativity as currency, and collaboration as our strategy.”
With Nigeria’s leadership and the support of CAFA and AGFG, analysts say the African fashion industry could soon rival Asia’s manufacturing base, transforming textiles, apparel, and design into major export commodities.
As Dr. Labode put it, “When Africa owns its creativity, it owns its future.”
And with the Afroliganza Vision now officially adopted by the Federal Government, Nigeria appears ready to lead that future from the runway to the global marketplace.
