The Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA) aims to grow Africa’s fashion economy from an estimated billion to 0 billion, with plans to unveil its roadmap at the 2026 Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX WKND) in Lagos.
CAFA will celebrate its first anniversary on November 5 with a joint stand alongside the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts. The organization is collaborating with African governments to harmonize policies on sourcing, production, trade, and intellectual property.
CAFA’s Ambitious Growth Plans for Africa’s Fashion Economy
CAFA President, Aare (Prof.) Lai Labode, emphasized the importance of retaining more value within African businesses and communities. The organization is working towards establishing a structured fashion economy that is rooted in African heritage and driven by local institutions.
Investment in the fashion industry is expected to generate millions of jobs, particularly benefiting women and young people. CAFA is also registered in Rwanda and is collaborating with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to secure African Union adoption of the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter.
Nigeria’s Role in the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter
Nigeria became the first country to sign the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter on November 5, 2025. The signing was conducted by the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, representing the Federal Government.
CAFA’s first year included the gathering of representatives from 50 countries at the Egbaliganza-Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta and a Memorandum of Understanding with Türkiye’s ASRIAD. The organization is focused on promoting local processing of African raw materials into finished fashion products.
Upcoming Initiatives and Events in African Fashion
- The African Global Fashion Games will debut in Nigeria in 2028.
- The Games will be held every three years, alternating between African and international host countries.
- CAFA is inviting various stakeholders to explore opportunities at its stand during CANEX WKND 2026.
CAFA is set to transform Africa’s fashion landscape with ambitious growth plans and initiatives.
