Events

Design Week Lagos 2025 Celebrates African Creativity

Published

1 year ago

October 26, 2025

Design Week Lagos 2025 celebrates African creativity and innovation, linking design with commerce in a global showcase of art, culture, and craftsmanship

Design Week Lagos 2025 is set to ignite the continent’s creative scene as Africa’s leading festival of design, innovation, and culture returns for another groundbreaking edition.

Also read: Nigeria cultural superpower drive to lead Africa in tourism, creativity

Scheduled to run from October 23 to 28, the festival will transform Lagos into a city-wide hub of inspiration under the theme “Made in Africa: Shaping Industries, Shaping Futures.”

Since its debut in 2019, Design Week Lagos (DWL) has grown into a global platform spotlighting African design excellence and connecting creativity with commerce.

Founded by Titi Ogufere, DWL continues to position Lagos as Africa’s creative capital, where innovation drives industry, tourism, and transformation.

“Design Week Lagos exists to champion the ingenuity and ambition of Africa’s creative community,” Ogufere said. “Each edition reaffirms our belief that design is a powerful language — one that tells our stories, shapes our economies, and connects Lagos to the global conversation on creativity and innovation.”

Now in its seventh year, DWL 2025 will feature over 100 activations, 20,000 visitors, and more than 250 million media impressions. The festival will include exhibitions, installations, talks, and creative experiences across Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki, and Yaba.

Among the highlights are the Made by Design Show, Nigeria’s largest interiors trade exhibition, featuring over 100 premium brands such as Woodstyles, Esorae Homes, ACTIU, Mimz Interiors, and IO Furniture.

The Design Innovation Exhibition will showcase groundbreaking concepts, while the Student Design Competition, organised in partnership with Caverton Marine, challenges young designers to rethink maritime mobility.

The event also includes DWL Talks & Dialogue in Design and Development, bringing together architects, developers, and policymakers.

Featured speakers include Bibi Seck, Victoria Adesanmi, Myles Igwebuike, Yew Kee Cheong (AIA President), and Astrid Hébert (3C Awards).

Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, praised the initiative, saying it aligns with Lagos State’s goal of positioning itself as a global destination for creative enterprise.

“Design Week is one of the events that celebrate the hard work of young Nigerians doing great things,” she said.

Similarly, Tola Akerele, General Manager of the Wole Soyinka Centre (formerly National Theatre), commended the organisers for sustaining a platform that continues to showcase Nigerian designers pushing boundaries with materials and ideas.

Supported by the Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Tourism, the festival reinforces the growing influence of design tourism in West Africa, where creativity fuels new industries and global recognition.

Also read: La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort Is A BeaconOf Creativity, Ingenuity – Tourism Minister

With its blend of artistry, commerce, and cultural identity, Design Week Lagos 2025 is not just a festival — it’s a celebration of African design excellence shaping the continent’s creative future.

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Culture

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

Published

3 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.