Africa’s fashion industry could grow from an estimated $30 billion to $500 billion under an ambitious plan by the Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA) to expand local manufacturing, protect indigenous creativity and increase the continent’s share of global fashion revenue.
CAFA will unveil its growth roadmap at CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos, bringing together designers, investors, policymakers and other stakeholders to explore opportunities in the sector.
The organisation will mark its first anniversary on November 5 with a joint exhibition stand alongside the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.
The exhibition will hold at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, formerly the National Arts Theatre, until November 8.
CAFA President, Aare (Prof.) Lai Labode, said the initiative aims to ensure African creativity generates greater economic benefits for local businesses and communities.
He said CAFA was working with governments to align policies on sourcing, production, trade and intellectual property protection.
Nigeria became the first country to sign the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter on November 5, 2025, with Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa signing on behalf of the Federal Government.
Musawa said investment in the fashion industry could create millions of jobs, particularly for women and young people.
She described Afroliganza as an initiative to build a structured fashion economy rooted in African heritage and driven by African institutions.
CAFA, registered in Rwanda, has an office in Kigali and a desk at Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.
It is also working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to secure African Union adoption of the Charter. Rwanda is moving towards becoming the second signatory and the first in East Africa.
During its first year, CAFA brought representatives from 50 countries together at the Egbaliganza-Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta and signed a memorandum of understanding with Türkiye’s ASRIAD.
A key part of its strategy is to encourage African countries to process their raw materials locally instead of relying heavily on exports, creating more finished clothing and fashion products within the continent.
Its “Own What We Create” campaign promotes intellectual property protection, while the proposed CAFA Certified Seal and CAFA Heritage Mark aim to strengthen product standards and authenticity.
CAFA is also working towards establishing African Global Fashion Houses in international markets to promote African designers and expand their commercial reach.
Another major initiative is the African Global Fashion Games, scheduled to debut in Nigeria in 2028 and hold every three years, alternating between African and international hosts.
The event will feature designers competing under their national colours, alongside investor meetings, business deals and policy discussions.
Its Instant Craft competition will give participants identical materials and a fixed period to demonstrate their creativity and technical skills.
At CANEX WKND 2026, CAFA will invite creatives, investors, diplomats, economists and policymakers to explore partnerships in design, manufacturing, trade, research and investment.
The organisation is seeking African Union adoption of the Charter and urging governments to sign the Games Register and establish national teams.
Labode said Africa must move beyond showcasing its creative heritage to capturing greater economic value from the fashion industry.
“Fashion has always told the world who Africa is. Now Africa will decide what fashion pays,” he said.
