The Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy has announced plans to collaborate with the Lai Labode Heritage Foundation to organise the maiden African Global Fashion Games (AGFG), described as a fashion ‘Olympics’ for the continent.
The announcement was made at an unveiling dinner and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the ministry and the foundation for the African Fashion Renaissance initiative, known as ‘Afroliganza’, held in Abuja.
The African Fashion Renaissance, also called ‘Afroliganza’, is a continental initiative aimed at uniting African nations through fashion, culture, and creative enterprise. According to the organisers, the AGFG will serve as the flagship programme of the Afroliganza initiative, bringing together national teams and global designers on one stage to showcase African creativity.
They said the event would create opportunities for competition, collaboration, and transactions that would boost Africa’s fashion economy and generate measurable trade and investment inflows into the continent through the creative sector.
Speaking during the event, Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, who signed the MoU on behalf of the Federal Government, said Nigeria’s participation marked the country’s formal adoption of the Afroliganza vision.
“The African Global Fashion Games will be the first continental fashion competition and celebration of its kind,” Musawa said. “It is a convergence of innovation, heritage, and economic power as participating nations, designers, and youth innovators will compete not merely for prestige, but for the right to shape Africa’s creative identity and global image.”
She noted that through frameworks launched under Afroliganza and the Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA), Africa’s fashion sector is projected to exceed 500 billion dollars in value, with Nigeria positioned at the forefront of this transformation.
“Fashion is a universal language and Africa’s contribution to the world in fabric, colour, silhouette, and symbolism is already undeniable,” she said.
According to the minister, Africa currently exports textiles, cotton, apparel, and footwear valued at about 15.5 billion dollars annually, while imports stand at around 23.1 billion dollars. She also said global demand for African couture and textiles is growing by over 40 per cent, showing that the world is not only inspired by Africa but also ready to invest in it.
“Nigeria’s adoption of this vision signals a national commitment to place culture, fashion, heritage, and the creative economy at the heart of our engagement with Africa and the world,” Musawa said. “It aligns with our ministry’s strategic plan to expand Nigeria’s influence across the creative economy, not just within our borders, but across Africa and beyond.”
She added that Nigeria, as the first country to sign the CAFA charter, is turning its commitment into measurable action through the establishment of institutions, policies, and programmes that support fashion-driven development.
“Today we move from inspiration to ownership, from fragmented expression to formal diplomacy as fashion will now serve as a strategic instrument for building cultural ties, influencing global narratives, and asserting Africa’s creative sovereignty,” she added.
Musawa revealed that the ministry would soon establish the Nigerian Fashion Federation, a national coordinating body that will collaborate with state governments and other stakeholders to promote Nigerian fashion in line with the CAFA framework.
Dr Balogun Labode, pioneer of the African Fashion Renaissance, said the Afroliganza project aims to build a values-driven fashion economy that is rooted in African heritage, led by African institutions, and designed for global competitiveness.
He said a detailed calendar outlining activities leading up to the first AGFG in 2027 would be released soon. According to him, the African Union and other African countries are expected to back the project, with a secretariat already established in Lagos to coordinate its operations.
“All African countries that are expected to sign the charter will have their own fashion federations that will feed off the confederation of African fashion policies and protocols,” Labode explained. “The African Global Fashion Games is where you’re going to see a lot of competition as Africa comes together and connects the world. The competition will showcase the very best of African fashion and also connect us to money in the industry.”
He further disclosed that the African Global Fashion Games would be a 9-day biennial event, featuring a grand opening parade of nations, multiple runway shows, a trade fair, an industry summit, and an awards ceremony.
The event will be organised by the African Global Fashion Games Federation (AGFGF), a public-private body comprising a board, technical committees, and an advisory council.
Government officials, business leaders, entrepreneurs, fashion enthusiasts, and members of the diplomatic community were among the notable stakeholders present at the event.
