Heineken Lagos Fashion Week has officially opened applications for Green Access 2025, its flagship accelerator program dedicated to sustainability in African fashion. Announced on September 10, the program forms part of the platform’s 15th anniversary celebrations and reflects its long-standing commitment to driving innovation in the industry.

Read more: Lagos Fashion Week Opens Applications for Green Access 2025

This year’s edition invites emerging designers to transform textile waste into forward-thinking collections. The challenge is clear: reimagine pre- and post-consumer waste while celebrating Africa’s heritage of craftsmanship. Since its launch, Green Access has nurtured a new wave of designers who place circularity and cultural storytelling at the heart of their brands. Alumni such as Kadiju, Pepperrow, Cute Saint, Ywande, Desiree Iyama, Ajanée, Pettre Taylor, and Oshobor have gone on to shape sustainable fashion narratives across the continent.

Shaping African Fashion Through Sustainability

Founder and Convener Omoyemi Akerele describes Green Access as more than a program. “It is a movement that empowers young designers to imagine new possibilities for African fashion while honouring the traditions that shape our identity,” she says. “As we mark 15 years of Lagos Fashion Week, we remain committed to fostering innovation that is bold, creative, and regenerative.”

The 2024 cohort, which included Samiat Salami (Oya Abeo), Bella Adeleke (Garbe), and Rosette Ale (Revival London), highlighted how the program equips talent to tackle creative challenges while producing work that resonates both commercially and culturally.

Green Access 2025 will guide participants through four core areas: craft-driven innovation, reimagining waste, youth activation, and digital exploration. From transforming discarded textiles with weaving and dyeing techniques to incorporating modern tools like 3D printing, designers will be challenged to create visionary capsule collections that reflect both tradition and progress.

A unique feature of this year’s edition is a one-week residency at NAHOUS, a multidisciplinary hub located in the restored Old Federal Palace Hotel. Here, participants will develop capsule collections, collaborate with industry tastemakers, and showcase their work during Lagos Fashion Week runway shows.

Applications are open to emerging designers in or connected to Nigeria until September 19, 2025. The hybrid accelerator begins with three weeks of virtual sessions, followed by the residency at NAHOUS. Final collections will be unveiled on the runway between October 29 and November 2, 2025.

With title sponsorship from Heineken and support from Afreximbank, Bank of Industry, Meta, and Lush Hair, Lagos Fashion Week continues to champion bold innovation while amplifying African voices on the global stage.