CEEWABA President Michael Dada says European markets are ready to welcome Nigerian fashion and textiles. Summit in Lagos pushes for Afro-EU garment collaboration

The Central Eastern European and West African Business Association (CEEWABA) says European markets are increasingly opening their doors to Nigerian fashion exports, marking a new era of cross-continental collaboration in the textile and garment industry.

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Speaking at the Afro-EU Garment Innovation and Sustainability Summit in Lagos on Thursday, CEEWABA President Michael Dada said Europe was becoming more receptive to African clothing brands, particularly those from Nigeria.

“Globalisation has made Europe ready for African fashion. The only gap was that nobody was pioneering the effort,” Dada said.

“This is why we established the African Fashion Hub — to bridge continents and promote African fashion abroad.”

The summit, themed “Bridging Continents through Fashion, Technology and Cultural Exchange,” was co-hosted by Women in Fashion Tech, and aimed to boost Nigeria’s global fashion footprint through innovation and partnerships.

Dada explained that CEEWABA is working with international partners to provide advanced fashion training for Nigerian designers.

The goal, he said, is to enhance skills and productivity so Nigerian creators can meet global quality standards and capitalize on the growing demand for Afrocentric fashion in Europe.

Bukola Ajayi, President of Women in Fashion Tech, called on the Nigerian government to restrict imported ready-made garments, arguing they were stifling growth in the local fashion industry.

“Enough is enough,” Ajayi said. “We must protect our heritage, our designs, and our forefathers’ work. Fashion is part of our identity, and we won’t lose it to unchecked importation or counterfeits.”

She revealed that her association — which boasts over 5,000 members — has developed tools to protect indigenous fashion like Aso-Oke from piracy and global exploitation.

Ajayi also urged the government to restructure funding programmes for women entrepreneurs, noting that many creative businesswomen remain ineligible for grants due to loan defaults from the COVID-19 era.

Lagos State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Folashade Medebem, represented by SSA Nana-Hauwa Adeeyo, reaffirmed the government’s support for innovation in fashion and textiles, noting that Lagos has become a hub for African creativity.

“Through our diverse ecosystem of designers, technologists, and entrepreneurs, we are showcasing African fashion to the world,” she said.

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Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, stressed the importance of investing in women in the creative industry, adding: “If Nigeria prospers, Africa will also prosper.”