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CAFA Targets $500bn African Fashion Economy At CANEX WKND 2026
CAFA Targets $500bn African Fashion Economy At CANEX WKND 2026
The Confederation of African Fashion will unveil a roadmap to grow Africa’s fashion economy from an estimated $30 billion to $500 billion at CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos.
Nigeria is leading the initiative after becoming the first country to sign the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter in November 2025.
CAFA plans to launch the African Global Fashion Games in Nigeria in 2028 to promote African designers, attract investment and strengthen the continent’s fashion industry.
November 02, () – The Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA) will unveil a roadmap to grow Africa’s fashion economy from an estimated $30 billion to $500 billion at CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos, with a focus on local production, investment and intellectual property protection.
The unveiling, scheduled for November 5, will coincide with CAFA’s first anniversary and take place at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, formerly the National Arts Theatre.
The organisation will present the initiative through a joint stand with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, where fashion industry stakeholders can explore investment and collaboration opportunities.
CAFA President, Aare (Prof.) Lai Labode, said the organisation was working with African governments to align sourcing, production, trade and intellectual property policies to ensure that African creativity generates greater economic value for local businesses and communities.
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Nigeria became the first country to sign the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter on November 5, 2025, when the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, signed the document on behalf of the Federal Government.
Musawa said the Afroliganza initiative aimed to build a structured fashion economy rooted in African heritage, driven by African institutions and positioned for global impact.
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She added that investment in the sector could generate millions of jobs, particularly for women and young people.
Registered in Rwanda, CAFA has an office in Kigali and a desk at the ministry in Nigeria. It is also working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to secure African Union adoption of the Charter, while Rwanda is progressing towards becoming the second participating country and the first in East Africa.
Among its initiatives are the Own What We Create programme, which addresses intellectual property protection, and the CAFA Certified Seal and CAFA Heritage Mark, designed to promote standards and authenticity.
The organisation is also establishing African Global Fashion Houses in international markets and plans to launch the African Global Fashion Games in Nigeria in 2028.
The Games will bring designers together under national colours every three years, combining competition with investor meetings, business deals and policy discussions. Its Instant Craft event will challenge competing nations to create designs using identical materials within a fixed time.
CAFA is inviting fashion designers, artisans, investors, diplomats, researchers and policymakers to visit its stand from November 5 to 8 to explore opportunities in design, manufacturing, trade and international partnerships.
“Fashion has always told the world who Africa is. Now Africa will decide what fashion pays”, Labode said.
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