More than 30 aspiring fashion entrepreneurs have completed an intensive entrepreneurship and skills development programme at the Ananse Centre for Design, Lagos, as the institution intensifies efforts to nurture a new generation of globally competitive African fashion brands through practical training and business incubation.
The graduates, who formed the first cohort of the Fashion Incubator Scholarship Programme, were celebrated during a graduation ceremony and fashion showcase held at the institute’s campus in Ikate, Lekki, Lagos. The event featured runway presentations of designs created by participants, highlighting the technical and creative competencies acquired during the programme.
According to the organisers, the initiative extends beyond teaching fashion design by equipping participants with the entrepreneurial and business management skills required to establish sustainable enterprises within Africa’s rapidly expanding creative industry. Throughout the training, participants received practical instruction in garment production, leatherwork, quality assurance, product development, branding, sustainability, e-commerce, market access and business management.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ananse Africa, Sam Mensah, said the programme was established to bridge the long-standing gap between creative talent and commercial opportunity across the continent. He explained that while Africa possesses abundant creative potential, many young designers struggle to access modern training facilities, production infrastructure and market opportunities needed to transform their ideas into successful businesses.
Mensah noted that the centre is committed to helping young creatives acquire not only technical expertise but also the entrepreneurial knowledge required to build resilient fashion enterprises capable of competing in regional and international markets.
Also speaking, Hub Country Lead for Africa, Onome Umukoro, described the graduation as the beginning of the participants’ entrepreneurial journey rather than its conclusion. She explained that graduates would continue to benefit from Ananse’s broader business ecosystem through mentorship, production support, content creation opportunities and access to local and international markets.
The Fashion Incubator Scholarship Programme is implemented through a partnership involving the Mastercard Foundation, ISHK Tolaram Foundation and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) stakeholders as part of broader efforts to strengthen Africa’s creative economy and improve youth employment through vocational education.
Education and entrepreneurship advocates have described initiatives of this nature as increasingly important in addressing youth unemployment by combining technical education with enterprise development. They noted that practical, industry-focused training enables graduates to create businesses, generate employment and contribute meaningfully to economic growth rather than relying solely on conventional white-collar jobs.
The graduation reflects a growing shift towards competency-based education in Nigeria’s creative sector, where institutions are placing greater emphasis on innovation, entrepreneurship and practical skills to prepare young Africans for opportunities in the global fashion industry.
