The Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) has said the industry generates over N30 billion annually to the growth of the African economy.
Speaking at an event organised by the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) in Abuja at the weekend, to commemorate World Interiors Day, the founder and former President of the International Federation of Interior Architect/Design, Titi Ogufere, said the sector has also grown in terms of capacity and professionalism over the years, with significant contribution to the growth of economies.
She said, “We, in the interior design industry, actually shape the nation in several ways and that is why we want to create public awareness to enable people know that we are here for the health and safety of the society.
“In terms of the economy and the contribution of the industry to our GDP, we have contributed a lot. The last study that was carried out by an Italian firm four years ago, rated the industry as contributing well over N36 billion to Africa’s economy.
Ogufere, who said that IDAN is presently working on a research to ascertain the contribution being generated by operators in the industry to Nigeria’s GDP, said the industry has to a large extent, impacted on the economy and lives of the people in a most profound way.
“But note that in Africa and indeed, we are still doing a lot of research to provide more information which might throw up higher figures,” the founder added.
On her part, the chairperson of IDAN in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kuceli Ross-Adeniji, said the performance of the interior designing business in Abuja has been that of high and low.
She said from a small beginning, the association has grown big and its major focus now is trying to set up structures that can sustain the achievement being recorded so far.
Meanwhile, Ogufere said there is currently a 4-year degree programme run by some universities in the country on Interior Design profession which serves as an entry point to practitioners in the industry.
Besides this, she explained that there are also short courses that could also help build the capacity of professionals in this sector.
“Apart from insisting on possession of a degree certificate, we are also encouraging operators to distinguish themselves in the profession.
“For instance, we heard decorators can just come up with pillows but we can do a lot more than that.
“Like I said earlier, decorators can decorate but not design but designers can decorate.
She said the profession became more visible in 2007 and they have been able to do a lot of work since then, trying to separate designers from decorators and educating the members of the public on the unique potentials of the industry.
“We have also organised round table events for chief executives of businesses where we were seeking to support the operators to grow their businesses”.
According to her, the interior designers industry is a very lucrative one and that a proper assessment of the contribution of the industry to the GDP will probably give a figure ten times more than N30 billion.
Ogufere added that some of the challenges facing the industry included that of licensing and promoting education and proper training of professionals in the sector.
