Nigeria to host African Global Fashion Games in 2028

Nigeria will host the African Global Fashion Games in 2028, with participating countries expected to compete in seven disciplines showcasing fashion design, craftsmanship, textile performance and innovation.

The Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA), which is promoting the initiative, said the competition would bring together designers, investors and government representatives to showcase African creativity and explore business opportunities across the continent’s fashion industry.

The Games will be held every three years, alternating between African countries and international host nations, with participating countries contributing a thread to a collective creation known as the World Cloth.

CAFA President, Aare Lai Labode, disclosed the plans on Thursday during the first anniversary of the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Lagos, held alongside the 2026 Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Weekend.

The Games form part of the organisation’s broader efforts to develop Africa’s fashion and textile industries through policy reforms, local manufacturing, investment and international partnerships.

Mr Labode said the continent has enormous potential in the fashion industry but continues to lose significant economic value because of inadequate manufacturing infrastructure, limited financing and weak professional standards.

According to him, Africa’s fashion economy is estimated at $60 billion, against a potential of $500 billion.

He noted that although 37 of Africa’s 54 countries produce cotton, the continent exports about $15.5 billion worth of textiles annually while importing $23.1 billion in textiles, clothing and footwear, citing UNESCO figures for 2023.

“The world has never doubted Africa’s talent. It has simply never had to pay Africa for it. The Charter exists to change who gets paid,” Mr Labode said.

Nigeria leads push for continental fashion framework

The 2028 Games are among the initiatives being pursued under the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter, which Nigeria signed on 5 November 2025, becoming the first country to adopt the framework.

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, said the Charter was designed to provide the structure needed to transform African fashion from a cultural expression into a recognised economic sector.

She said African designers had continued to showcase their creativity internationally but lacked common industry standards and the institutional support required to maximise the sector’s economic potential.

“A signature only matters if something follows it,” the minister said, emphasising the need to translate the agreement into jobs, investment and improved opportunities for fashion businesses.

CAFA said Rwanda was progressing towards becoming the second country to formalise participation in the Charter and the first in East Africa.

Discussions are also ongoing with Liberia and Ghana, while the organisation is working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to secure the African Union’s adoption of the framework.

The proposed continental arrangement is expected to establish common standards for sourcing, production, certification, trade and intellectual property protection.

CAFA explores foreign partnerships for textile production

Beyond the Games, CAFA is exploring partnerships with Austria and Turkey to establish a central textile factory that would serve African countries.

Mr Labode said the proposed facility would support large-scale textile production, international distribution, skills development and intellectual property protection for African designers.

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He disclosed that some major international textile companies had expressed interest in the project.

The organisation is also developing African Global Fashion Houses to provide designers with platforms to exhibit and sell their products in international markets.

It plans to engage the African Union Commission, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) on policy alignment, trade facilitation and financing for textile manufacturing and creative industry projects.

CAFA also intends to work with regional economic communities, including the Economic Community of West African States and the East African Community, to encourage more countries to adopt the Charter.

The organisation said the success of the initiative would be measured by increased African participation, local textile production and greater retention of economic value within the continent.