Lagos Fashion Week: AFC Set to Boost Africa’s $15bn Textile Export Industry

The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has announced that its partnership with Lagos Fashion Week 2025 is designed to boost Africa’s apparel and textile export sectors, projected to reach $15 billion by 2030.

According to a statement, the collaboration aligns with AFC’s broader goal of promoting industrialisation and job creation through strategic infrastructure investments that drive economic transformation.

Celebrating its 15th anniversary, Lagos Fashion Week has become a globally acclaimed showcase of African creativity and design excellence. The 2025 edition will highlight circular fashion, responsible sourcing, and regional value chains—key areas where AFC’s infrastructure projects are bridging the gap between Africa’s creative and industrial potential.

AFC President and CEO, Samaila Zubairu, stated, “Africa’s creative industries reflect both our cultural identity and economic potential. Through this partnership, we are deepening our commitment to build measurable impact—empowering youth, strengthening local production, and creating value across the fashion ecosystem. By providing the infrastructure that supports these creative value chains, AFC is positioning African designers and manufacturers to thrive globally.”

Founder of Lagos Fashion Week, Omoyemi Akerele, added, “We are delighted to have AFC as a key partner for the 2025 edition. Their dedication to sustainable infrastructure and local manufacturing perfectly aligns with our mission to reinforce Africa’s fashion ecosystem. Together, we aim to ensure that Africa’s creative industries not only inspire but also produce and export value from within the continent.”

Through its subsidiary, ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms, AFC is supporting Africa’s shift from exporting raw materials to producing and exporting finished goods. To date, AFC-backed projects have contributed over $50 billion to GDP and generated seven million jobs across 36 African nations.