Abuja's NICON Luxury Hotel hosted a landmark event for Africa's creative sector with the CAFA World Press Conference & Unveiling Ceremony 2025. This gathering marked the official launch of AfroLiganza as a continental movement and introduced Egbaliganza 2026 as its operational proof-of-concept, building momentum toward the African Global Fashion Games in 2027.
Nigeria Takes Historic Leadership Role
In a significant development, Nigeria announced its position as the first African nation to adopt the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter. This historic commitment establishes binding agreements around standards, trade facilitation, and cross-border collaboration for the continent's creative value chain. The official signing ceremony positions Nigeria as the pioneer in formalizing support for the CAFA framework.
Organized under the Lai Labode Heritage Foundation with support from the emerging Confederation of African Fashion structures, the conference presented a practical roadmap to unify Africa's fragmented fashion and creative industries. The strategy emphasizes collaboration, trade partnerships, and cultural exchange across the continent.
Ambitious Economic Vision and Key Initiatives
Dr. Balogun Lai-Labode, Founder and Convener of the Afroliganza Movement and President of CAFA, delivered a powerful keynote outlining the economic vision driving the initiative. "Our vision is simple and profound: to build a $500 billion African fashion economy that integrates culture, heritage, and modern markets," he declared.
The African Global Fashion Games represents Africa's first continental games-format fashion and culture showcase, blending competition, diplomacy, and creative collaboration. The inaugural edition is proposed for Nigeria in 2027, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of FESTAC '77, creating a symbolic bridge between Africa's cultural heritage and contemporary creative renaissance.
Egbaliganza 2026, scheduled for March in Abeokuta, Ogun State, will serve as a pilot festival featuring the Parade of Nations. The event will host delegations from 50 African countries to celebrate heritage, craftsmanship, and cultural exchange.
Government Support and Continental Collaboration
Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, reaffirmed the government's institutional support for CAFA and AfroLiganza while emphasizing the need for continental cooperation. "Nigeria understands the responsibility that comes with leadership, and we have accepted it. But we cannot walk this path alone," she stated.
The conference also highlighted CAFA's role as a continental coordinating body that will unify national fashion federations, strengthen textile and fashion value chains, and mobilize investment to scale manufacturing while retaining value locally.
Chinny Nwokedi, Director of Operations at the Lai Labode Heritage Foundation, emphasized the diplomatic and economic potential of the initiative, noting that "fashion and culture have now become tools of diplomacy for economic growth and unity in Africa."
The event concluded with a practical call to action, inviting governments across Africa to join the confederation and collaborate with investors, development partners, and private sector operators to scale infrastructure, protect intellectual property, and develop trade channels that ensure more economic value remains on the continent.
