Events

Design Week Lagos 2025 Celebrates African Creativity

Published

1 year ago

November 5, 2025

Design Week Lagos 2025 celebrates African creativity under the theme “Made in Africa,” spotlighting innovation and positioning Lagos as a global design hub

Design Week Lagos 2025 has concluded its most ambitious edition yet, transforming Nigeria’s commercial capital into a vibrant, city-wide celebration of African creativity under the theme “Made in Africa: Shaping Industries, Shaping Futures.”

Also read: Eko Fiesta 2025 Set to Ignite Lagos with Culture

The six-day festival, held from October 23–28, 2025, showcased the continent’s design excellence while reinforcing Africa’s rising influence in the global creative economy.

Attracting an eclectic mix of designers, artists, architects, and policymakers, this year’s edition featured notable figures including Bibi Seck, Victoria Adesanmi, Myles Igwebuike, Yew Kee Cheong (President, AIA), and Astrid Hébert (3C Awards).

The festival’s flagship events — the Design + Innovation Exhibition and the Made by Design Show — were complemented by more than 100 citywide activations across Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki, and Yaba. Highlights included Roots & Resilience at the Federal Palace Hotel, Design Intersect 2025 at Soto Gallery, and the launch of the Institute of Professional Interior Designers & Product Inventors (IPIDPI) at Alliance Française.

The unveiling of the Institute marks a historic milestone for Nigeria’s design industry, establishing a regulatory and licensing authority to standardise education and certify practitioners in interior design and product invention.

Students also took centre stage during the Student Design Competition, where young creatives reimagined maritime mobility in partnership with Caverton Marine.

The festival’s opening VIP viewing at The Nahous, Federal Palace Hotel, set the tone for an inspiring week of exhibitions, discussions, and collaborations.

Anchored by the Lagos State Government and supported by the Federal Ministry of Tourism, the event was officially opened by Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, who emphasised that DWL aligns with the government’s vision to make Lagos a global destination for creativity and innovation.

Titi Ogufere, Founder of Design Week Lagos, described this year’s success as a defining moment for African design:

“It has been an extraordinary journey since our debut in 2019. This year reaffirmed our mission that design is a powerful language — one that tells our stories, shapes our economies, and connects Lagos to the global creative conversation.”

Ogufere added that the festival’s growing international visibility underscores the vast economic and cultural potential of Design Tourism across Africa.

Also read: Ciara Lagos Fashion Week Visit Thrills Fans in Nigeria

With its resounding success, Design Week Lagos 2025 firmly positioned Lagos as Africa’s creative capital, strengthening the continent’s emerging reputation as a vibrant hub for innovation, collaboration, and commercial opportunity in global design.

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Culture

Crowds Gather for Rare Sunrise at Egypt’s Abu Simbel Temple

Published

2 weeks ago

October 23, 2026

David Ogunjobi

Hundreds of tourists gathered at Egypt’s Abu Simbel temple to witness the twice-yearly sunrise ceremony illuminating Pharaoh Ramses II’s statue

Hundreds of tourists gathered at Egypt’s Abu Simbel temple on Thursday to witness a spectacular sunrise phenomenon in which sunlight illuminated the face of the statue of Pharaoh Ramses II, an event that occurs only twice a year.

Also read: 16 Famous Cultural Festivals That Define India

The ancient astronomical ceremony drew visitors from different parts of the world to the archaeological site in southern Egypt on October 22, one of two dates associated with the phenomenon.

The second occurrence takes place on February 22, when the rising sun illuminates the temple’s interior.

Egyptian tour guide Yasser Fouad described the occasion as extraordinary, saying some visitors had stayed overnight to secure the opportunity to witness the event.

“Today is an extraordinary day, everyone is keen, there are people who stayed over the night, foreigners who actually spent the night in Abu Simbel to see this phenomenon,” Fouad said.

The Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel dates back to the 13th century BC and is among Egypt’s most prominent archaeological attractions.

Built during the reign of Ramses II, one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs, the temple is renowned for its monumental statues and sophisticated architectural design.

The twice-yearly sunrise phenomenon is a major attraction, drawing visitors eager to witness the interaction between sunlight and the temple’s ancient structure.

The dates have traditionally been associated with significant moments in Ramses II’s life.

October 22 is commonly linked to his birthday, while February 22 is associated with his accession to the throne.

However, the precise historical reasons behind the dates remain debated.

Some archaeologists have proposed alternative explanations, including that they may have marked the pharaoh’s coronation and birthday.

Abu Simbel underwent a major international rescue operation in the 1960s, when archaeologists and engineers relocated the temples to protect them from flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

The monumental structures were cut into large blocks and reassembled at a higher location, preserving the site for future generations.

The relocation was one of the most significant archaeological preservation projects of the 20th century.

Despite the move, the temple continues to attract visitors for its ancient Egyptian art, monumental architecture and remarkable alignment with the rising sun.

Also read: 16 Famous Cultural Festivals That Define India

The annual gatherings highlight the enduring appeal of Egypt’s archaeological heritage and the continuing fascination with the astronomical knowledge and engineering achievements of its ancient civilisation.