The Central Eastern European and West African Business Association has stated that European markets are becoming more open to Nigerian fashion and textiles.
The founder and president of CEEWABA, Michael Dada, revealed this during the first Afro-EU Garment Innovation and Sustainability Summit held in Lagos on Thursday.
The event, titled “Bridging Continents through Fashion, Technology and Cultural Exchange,” was hosted by CEEWABA in collaboration with Women in Fashion Tech.
Dada stated that the summit was a component of CEEWABA’s effort to introduce Nigerian and African fashion brands to Europe.
He stated, “This program is one of our efforts in fashion and technology, aiming to promote African fashion to enter Europe, essentially to establish a market for African clothing brands, especially those from Nigeria, to gain access to the European market.”
The president of CEEWABA mentioned that the organization is working with global partners to educate Nigerian designers in high-level fashion techniques, aiming to boost efficiency and align with international benchmarks.
Dada highlighted that innovation and specialized education play a vital role in enabling African designers to enter global markets, as Europe is increasingly showing interest in African fashion.
“Globalization has prepared Europe to embrace African fashion. The only issue was that no one was leading this initiative. That’s why we created the African Fashion Hub, to promote both African and European fashion and bring together stakeholders who can close this gap,” Dada added.
Bukola Ajayi, the head of Women in Fashion Tech, called on the Federal Government to restrict the flow of imported ready-made clothes, cautioning that foreign apparel is damaging Nigeria’s fashion sector.
She stated, “We need to safeguard our designs, the work of our ancestors, and African culture. Fashion is our heritage, handed down from one generation to the next, and it should not be lost to fake products and unregulated imports. That’s enough.”
Ajayi mentioned that the organization, which boasts more than 5,000 members, has established procedures to safeguard African designs from being taken advantage of.
“Very soon, we could start witnessing fake Aso-Oke. However, with Women in Fashion Tech monitoring the situation, this won’t occur,” she stated.
She also called on the government to update financial initiatives for female business owners, expressing concern that numerous individuals were excluded from emerging prospects due to debts accumulated from online loans issued during the COVID-19 crisis.
Additionally, Folashade Medebem, the Lagos State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, emphasized the government’s dedication to promoting innovation and eco-friendly practices within Africa’s textile industry.
Medebem, represented by the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor for Trade and Commerce, Nana-Hauwa Adeeyo, stated that Lagos’ wide range of designers, business owners, and tech professionals is presenting African fashion on a global scale.
She called for enhanced collaborations between Africa and Europe to tackle climate change, joblessness among young people, and inequality via innovations in the fashion industry.
The UN Women Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, emphasized that supporting women within the creative sector could greatly enhance Nigeria’s economy. She remarked, “If Nigeria thrives, Africa will also thrive.”
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).