Design Week Lagos, with the support of Afreximbank and the Lagos State Government, has showcased a new generation of African designers at SaloneSatellite 2026 in Milan, Italy, as part of efforts to position African design within the global market.
The initiative, held under the “All Roads Lead to Lagos” global tour, featured emerging African creatives working across furniture, lighting and product design, including Athanasius Johnson, Nicole Adaora Enwonwu, Odema Acacia Saleh, Richard A. Aina, Joan Eric Udorie, Olaoluwa AJ Durotoye and Myles Igwebuike.
According to a statement on Tuesday, the exhibition created opportunities for engagement with international galleries and manufacturers, opening pathways for product acquisition, manufacturing partnerships and entry into global retail markets.
Founder of Design Week Lagos, Titi Ogufere, said the initiative was designed to help African designers transition from creativity into global industry and manufacturing opportunities.
“With All Roads Lead to Lagos, we are building a structured pathway for Nigerian and African designers to move from creativity into real industry and global markets. Over the past few years, our focus has not only been on showcasing design but on training, incubating, and preparing designers to engage with manufacturing, production, and international opportunities,” she said.
Ogufere added, “This global tour, which began in Milan and will continue to London and Paris, is a natural extension of that work. It allows us to present a curated expression of Lagos to the world while providing our designers with direct access to global platforms. For us, this is not just about visibility. It is about building a sustainable design economy and positioning Lagos as a serious global design capital.”
She further stated that the response received in Milan demonstrated that African design was “not only culturally relevant, but commercially viable on the global stage.”
The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson, said the state introduced the Design Tourism initiative to position Lagos as a global destination for culture, creativity and innovation.
“As part of Lagos State’s broader vision for the creative economy, the Ministry introduced the Design Tourism initiative last year to position Lagos as a leading global destination for culture, creativity, and innovation. Design is not just an artistic expression; it is a key driver of economic growth, tourism, international engagement, and cultural exchange,” Benson said.
She added that the initiative would take “a curated expression of Lagos and African creativity to major global platforms, including Milan, London, and Paris, before welcoming the world back to Lagos in October 2026.”
According to her, “Through initiatives like this, we are not only showcasing the richness of our creative industry but also creating opportunities for our designers and creative businesses to connect with international markets while inviting the world to experience Lagos in a deeper and more meaningful way.”
Afreximbank, which supported the Milan showcase through its Creative Africa Nexus programme, said the partnership reflected its commitment to expanding Africa’s creative industries and connecting African talent to international markets.
“The Milan showcase was supported by Afreximbank through CANEX (Creative Africa Nexus), its creative economy programme, underscoring the Bank’s broader commitment to growing Africa’s creative industries and connecting African talent to international markets,” the bank stated.
The organisers noted that following Milan, the global tour would continue to Paris and London before culminating in Lagos in October 2026, where the focus would shift towards market integration and industrial scale.
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