Culture

Minister Hannatu Musawa urges Nigerians to support local fashion industry

Published

2 years ago

November 4, 2024

National Tourism Policy, Nigeria tourism, public-private partnerships, sustainability in tourism, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), tourism policy validation

Minister Hannatu Musawa calls on Nigerians to support local fashion to boost cultural pride and economic growth at the African Fashion Festival Vogue.

The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has encouraged Nigerians to embrace and support locally made clothing, emphasising its role in fostering national identity and economic growth.

Speaking at the inaugural African Fashion Festival Vogue (AFFV) on Saturday in Abuja, Musawa highlighted the importance of promoting the Nigerian fashion industry on a global scale and empowering local talent.

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The festival, themed “Thread of Africa: Weaving Fashion and Culture,” was organised by emerging Nigerian designer Firdausi Mohammed and drew notable figures from the fashion industry and diplomatic community.

Musawa praised the event’s efforts to showcase African designs and provide a platform for designers to reach international audiences, stating, “The platform offers opportunities for showcasing African designers in the fashion industry. It also promotes the Nigerian fashion industry to the world and empowers Northern voices in the sector.”

Emphasising the global competitiveness of Nigerian fashion, Musawa noted that now is an ideal time to support homegrown products, as the industry possesses the creativity and craftsmanship to succeed internationally.

She urged Nigerians to take pride in their cultural heritage by choosing locally crafted garments, which play a significant role in both nation-building and economic empowerment.

The High Commissioner of Pakistan to Nigeria, Retired Maj.-Gen. Sohail Khan, also addressed the gathering, commending the initiative as a celebration of Africa’s vibrant creativity and cultural expression.

“Fashion is not merely about clothing; it is an expression of identity, culture, and creativity,” Khan remarked. He drew parallels between African and Pakistani traditions in textile craftsmanship, suggesting that these shared cultural assets could inspire future collaboration within the fashion industry.

Khan highlighted the prominence of Pakistan’s textile sector, which combines centuries-old hand-embroidery techniques with modern advancements in textile technology, making it a global powerhouse.

Event organiser Firdausi Mohammed shared her vision for AFFV, explaining that the festival aims to showcase Africa’s diverse cultural heritage through fashion.

Mohammed said, “Our goal is to create a networking platform for designers to spread their wings under one umbrella and to celebrate the beauty of Africa’s cultural diversity through high fashion.”

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the event was attended by both established and emerging designers, diplomats, and fashion enthusiasts.

The highlight of the evening was a runway show infused with elements of Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, symbolising the potential of the African fashion industry to connect people through shared cultural values and artistic expression.

AFFV’s success underscores the growing interest in promoting African fashion on a global stage and aligns with Musawa’s call for Nigerians to support their local industry, strengthening both cultural pride and economic

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Culture

WAKE UP! Art Exhibition Returns for a Second Act

Published

2 weeks ago

August 27, 2026

Mariam Balogun

The contemporary art and photography exhibition “Wake Up!” is back again for a second edition.

Curated by Awele Onwordi, Wake Up! 2 exhibition pays homage to the Nigerian youth and burgeoning street culture which many of its contributing artists reference in their works.

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Titled “Young, Wild, Free”, the exhibition celebrates the creativity, resilience, freedom and cultural influence found in Nigerian youth.

Taking aim at societal issues and economic concerns, the exhibit reflects the youth and their refusal to compromise or bow despite all the challenges stacked against them while charting youth culture through art, music, fashion, skateboarding, photography and community.

The exhibition will be held, once again, at the Angel and Muse Gallery at 25 Sumbo Jibowu street off Ribadu Road off Awolowo Road in Ikoyi.

It will open on Saturday 5 September 2026 and will run until 11 September 2026
This second edition which focuses on celebrating, nurturing and exploring artistic practices rooted in youth and street culture will feature works from DENCITY and SUPERGLIDER HOUSE.

Exhibiting artists include Ajilore Kehinde – their work is deeply influenced by Nigerian street culture and works of other artists like Slawn, Peters Ejiro, etc, Chuka Onwordi – graphic designer who embodies themes of death, melancholy and beauty in his works, ZIDYEP – Abuja based creative whose works move between digital and physical spaces through art, graphic design and air brushing , Franklyn Okoye – graphic designer and artist whose works explore themes of identity and hyper-reality, Awele Onwordi – founder & curator of WAKE UP and multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans character art, creative logo design, album covers and more , Oluchi Kogolo – digital illustrator whose work explores street culture, personality and storytelling through a raw and playful visual style and Kozetuo Apeji – multidisciplinary artists who work explores experimental approaches to problem solving through both digital and traditional art forms.

Commenting on the exhibition in her curatorial statement, Awele noted that “despite economic instability, limited opportunities and socio-political challenges, Nigerian youth continue to shape culture through music, fashion, art, skateboarding, raves, photography and community.”

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Continuing and harping on the raison d’etre of the exhibition she said, “Young, Wild and Free exists to celebrate Nigerian youth while also creating a platform that supports and amplifies them.”