The Embassy of France in Nigeria has since June 2023 operated a €1.2 million fund to support entrepreneurs in the Nigerian cultural and creative industries in the fields of design, fashion, video games, audiovisuals and dance.
The “Lagos x Paris Fashion & Design Accelerator” which official launch took place from Friday to Sunday in Paris, French capital, is financed through the grant (€1.2 million).
The press officer, French Embassy in Nigeria, Onyinye Madu in a statement said a strong Nigerian delegation attended the Paris us event with dozens of talents from the worlds of animation, video games and cinema being showcased.
Madu said the launch of the “Lagos x Paris Fashion & Design Accelerator” is aimed toward supporting 10 high-potential Nigerian brands within the fashion and design ecosystem.
The 10 brands selected for this 2023-2024 cohort, amongst more than 120 applications are: For Fashion: Lagos Space Programme, TJWHO Design, OBIDA, EKI KERE, ELEXIAY and WAF – Wafflesandcream Limited;
For Accessories: MALIKO and Ethnic Africa; for Design: OMI Collective et Aga Design and Culture Limited.
She said the accelerator emphasises on providing close mentorship, nurturing creativity, reinforcing business literacy and guiding Nigerian emerging creatives and their teams in navigating the French and global fashion industry.
“Through this platform, the French Embassy in Nigeria aims at celebrating Nigerian creativity and cultural preservation initiatives, sustainable practices and cross-cultural collaborations, while giving the tools and skills for creatives to build long lasting and incremental financial growth for their company.
“In addition, the aim of this programme is not only to strengthen the entrepreneurial skills of 10 Nigerian brands, but also to support their export opportunities to France by participating in key events.
“The programme has been taught in collaboration with several remarkable Fashion and Design stakeholders and its curriculum, which combines group and individual training, mentoring and master classes (over 120 hours per brand), has been defined in conjunction with renowned French and African experts and the Nigerian incubator for creative industry CCHUB.
“The Accelerator will also close off with professional travels to Paris, designed to immerse the selected brands in the world capital of fashion via unique access to key industry players and events,” Madu stated.
According to her, the, Lagosx Paris Fashion & Design Accelerator, is part of a global programme announced by the French president, Emmanuel Macron in February 2023, called “Création Africa”.
