The Central Eastern European and West African Business Association has said European markets are increasingly ready to embrace Nigerian fashion and textiles.

Founder and President of CEEWABA, Michael Dada, disclosed this at the inaugural Afro-EU Garment Innovation and Sustainability Summit in Lagos on Thursday.

CEEWABA organised the event, themed ‘Bridging Continents through Fashion, Technology and Cultural Exchange’, in partnership with Women in Fashion Tech.

Dada explained that the summit formed part of CEEWABA’s initiative to push Nigerian and African clothing brands into Europe.

He said, “This programme is part of our fashion and technology initiatives, where we want to encourage African fashion to penetrate Europe, basically to create a market for clothing brands from Africa, particularly from Nigeria, to have access to the European market.”

The CEEWABA president noted that the association is collaborating with international partners to train Nigerian designers in advanced fashion skills to raise productivity and meet global standards.

Dada noted that innovation and advanced training are crucial to helping African designers break into international markets, as Europe shows a growing appetite for African fashion.

“Globalisation has made Europe ready for African fashion. The only gap was that nobody was pioneering the effort. That was why we established the African Fashion Hub, to promote African and European fashion and connect stakeholders who can bridge this gap,” Dada added.

President of Women in Fashion Tech, Bukola Ajayi, urged the Federal Government to curb the influx of imported ready-made garments, warning that foreign clothing was hurting Nigeria’s fashion industry.

She said, “We must protect our designs, our forefathers’ work, and the African culture. Fashion is our heritage, passed from one generation to another, and it must not be lost to counterfeiters and unchecked importation. Enough is enough.”

Ajayi added that the association, which has over 5,000 members, had set up mechanisms to protect African designs from exploitation

“Before long, we might even begin to see counterfeit Aso-Oke. But under Women in Fashion Tech watch, that will not happen,” she said.

She also urged the government to revise funding programmes for women entrepreneurs, lamenting that many were locked out of new opportunities because of debts from loans disbursed online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also speaking, Lagos State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Folashade Medebem, reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering innovation and sustainability in Africa’s garment sector.

Medebem, represented by the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade and Commerce, Nana-Hauwa Adeeyo, said Lagos’ diverse network of designers, entrepreneurs and technologists was showcasing African fashion to the world.

She urged stronger Afro-EU partnerships to address climate change, youth unemployment and inequality through fashion innovation.

UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, stressed that investing in women in the creative industry could significantly boost Nigeria’s economy. She stated, “If Nigeria prospers, Africa will also prosper.”