In a move to standardise practice, chart a new path, educate players and regulate the system, the Institute of Professional Interior Designers and Product Inventors (IPIDPI) was officially launched by practitioners in Lagos. When fully operational, the new institute would help bridge the demand gap in the industry as well as streamline entry of qualified designers, stimulate growth and address the problem of inconsistent educational standards across the country.

It aims to address these challenges by creating a unified national curriculum, introducing licensing systems, and building pathways for training, accreditation, and career development in interior and product design. It represents the next phase of a long-standing advocacy by the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) to professionalise the interior design industry through education, regulation, and institutional support.

The event brought together educators, industry leaders, policymakers, academicians including Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Lagos, Dr Nnezi Uduma-Olugu; Kenya College of Interior Design, Prof. Odoch Pido and international design bodies under one roof to chart a new course for the profession. Speaking on the significance of the launch, Founder, IDAN, Titi Ogufere, said that the institute represents a transformative step toward ensuring that Nigerian designers receive the recognition, regulation, and respect they deserve both locally and globally.

Ogunfere, a former President of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI), stated that the Institute initiative is aligned with the IFI Global Education Policy and the African Council for Interior Architects and Designers (ACIAD) agenda for professional excellence, ensuring that Nigeria remains at the forefront of design education and innovation in Africa. Speaking also, President, Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Mobolaji Adeniyi, said: “This moment signifies far more than the creation of a new professional body; it represents the emergence of a bold vision for the future of Nigeria’s design ecosystem.