…Support African Designers at Milan Design Week 2026
Design Week Lagos (DWL), with the strategic support of Afreximbank and the Lagos State Government, has successfully presented a new generation of African designers at Salone Satellite 2026 in Milan.
This milestone marks a significant step in positioning African design within the global market as part of the “All Roads Lead to Lagos” global tour.
The Milan showcase featured a curated selection of emerging talents working across furniture, lighting, and product design. The featured designers include: Athanasius Johnson, Nicole Adaora Enwonwu, Odema Acacia Saleh, Richard A. Aina, Joan Eric Udorie, Olaoluwa AJ Durotoye and Myles Igwebuike.
These designers presented works reflecting a sophisticated intersection of material intelligence, cultural identity, and production potential. Beyond the exhibition, the platform facilitated critical conversations with international galleries and manufacturers, opening pathways for product acquisition, manufacturing
partnerships, and entry into global retail markets.
“With All Roads Lead to Lagos, we are building a structured pathway for Nigerian and African designers to move from creativity into real industry and global markets. Over the past few years,
our focus has not only been on showcasing design but on training, incubating, and preparing designers to engage with manufacturing, production, and international opportunities.
“This global tour, which began in Milan and will continue to London and Paris, is a natural extension of that work. It allows us to present a curated expression of Lagos to the world while
providing our designers with direct access to global platforms. For us, this is not just about visibility.
It is about building a sustainable design economy and positioning Lagos as a serious global design capital.
What we are building is an ecosystem that connects talent development, manufacturing, culture, and international market access. The response in Milan has shown that African design is not only culturally relevant, but commercially viable on the global stage,” Titi Ogufere, Founder of Design Week Lagos said.
“As part of Lagos State’s broader vision for the creative economy, the Ministry introduced the Design Tourism initiative last year to position Lagos as a leading global destination for culture,
creativity, and innovation.
“Design is not just an artistic expression; it is a key driver of economic
growth, tourism, international engagement, and cultural exchange.
This year, through Design Week Lagos’ All Roads Lead to Lagos initiative, we are extending that vision beyond Nigeria by taking a curated expression of Lagos and African creativity to major global platforms, including Milan, London, and Paris, before welcoming the world back to Lagos in October 2026,” Commissioner Toke Benson, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, said.
Benson noted that through initiatives like this, the Ministry of Tourism are not only showcasing the richness of our creative industry but also creating opportunities for our designers and creative businesses to connect with international
markets while inviting the world to experience Lagos in a deeper and more meaningful way.
“We believe Lagos is emerging as one of the most exciting creative capitals globally, and Design Week Lagos continues to play an important role in that journey,” Benson noted.
“The Milan showcase was supported by Afreximbank through CANEX (Creative Africa Nexus), its creative economy programme, underscoring the Bank’s broader commitment to growing Africa’s creative industries and connecting African talent to international markets.”
Through this activation, Afreximbank reinforces its commitment to developing Africa’s creative industries as a viable economic sector, connecting talent to trade and finance. Similarly, the Lagos State Government continues to demonstrate its vision of Lagos as a global capital for creative enterprise.
This global activation is a multi-city strategy. Following Milan, the tour will proceed to Paris and London, before culminating in Lagos in October 2026, where the focus will shift from exhibition to market integration and industrial scale.
By aligning design with manufacturing and investment, Design Week Lagos and its partners are laying the
foundation for a new design economy, one that is African-led, globally relevant, and commercially viable.
