On October 6, 2025, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy officially inaugurated a working committee to establish the Confederation of African Fashion, also known as Afroliganza. The ceremony at the Ministry in Abuja signals Nigeria’s intention to unite African countries under a shared fashion policy framework. 

The Confederation of African Fashion aims to increase the continent’s current share of the global fashion market, which stands at about 1.2 percent, and ramp up the value of Africa’s fashion economy from US$30 billion to US$500 billion.  Key stakeholders from government, industry experts, research institutions, and fashion entrepreneurs have been tasked with shaping policies, infrastructure, and market access across nations. 

Culture Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa emphasized that Nigeria will work with other African nations to develop shared protocols that support raw material processing, artisan training, and creative industry investment. The objective is to boost not only revenue but also the number of jobs and local capacity across the value chain from textile milling, leather work, to design and branding.  Dr Lai Labode, project coordinator of Afroliganza, highlighted that the confederation will also foster competition and showcase Africa’s diverse heritage in fashion. A marquee event called the Fashion Extravaganza is expected in Abuja and Egypt in 2026, as the maiden edition. 

The working committee’s mandate includes defining frameworks for talent development, securing funding, improving infrastructure, and facilitating export opportunities for African designers. Ms Musawa stated that this effort aligns with broader national goals to make Nigeria a hub for creative innovation and drive foreign earnings through its creative economy. 

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