Abuja is seeking a new place on the global fashion map, with the relocation of the Nigeria Fashion Week to the Federal Capital Territory signalling a fresh push to transform the country’s fashion industry into a stronger engine of investment, job creation and economic growth.

The 2026 edition, held from October 1 to 4, brought together designers, models, government officials, diplomats, investors, financial institutions and creative entrepreneurs to explore opportunities within Nigeria’s fashion value chain.

With the theme, “Where Capital Meets Creativity,” the event, organised by Legendary Gold in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, sought to demonstrate that fashion is more than a display of style. It is also a business capable of generating employment, attracting investment and promoting Nigerian culture to international audiences.

For Lexy Mojo-Eyes, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Legendary Gold, the decision to move the event from Lagos to Abuja was a strategic step towards bringing the industry closer to policymakers and creating stronger links between government and creative professionals.

Having spent more than 35 years in the fashion industry and taken Nigerian designers to 38 countries, Mojo-Eyes believes the sector has considerable potential to support small and medium-sized enterprises, promote indigenous fabrics and designs, create jobs and generate wealth.

He announced that the Nigeria Fashion Week would henceforth hold annually in Abuja from October 1, making it part of activities marking Nigeria’s Independence celebrations and seeking to establish the capital as a regular destination on the international fashion calendar.

The ambition is to create a platform where designers can engage with investors, businesses can explore partnerships and policymakers can better understand the needs of an industry whose economic possibilities extend well beyond the runway.

The four-day programme opened with a welcome cocktail hosted by the Africa CEO Club. Government representatives, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders, financial institutions and fashion practitioners used the gathering to network, discuss investment prospects and explore areas of collaboration.

The Federal Government also acknowledged the need to address the structural challenges limiting the creative economy.

The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, said the government was developing a framework to unlock the sector’s economic potential.

She identified inadequate industry data, limited access to funding, infrastructure deficits and difficulties reaching markets as key challenges. She also disclosed plans to establish a one-stop facility where creative practitioners could develop their talents, obtain professional support and build sustainable businesses.

For fashion entrepreneurs, addressing these challenges could help bridge the gap between creative ability and commercial success, enabling designers to expand production, improve their products and compete more effectively in local and international markets.

The runway presentations offered a glimpse of the diversity and ambition shaping the industry. More than 20 Nigerian and international designers showcased their collections, with over 50 models from Nigeria, Libya and Ethiopia participating.

Among the designers and brands were Modella Couture, Diosa Virtuoso, Ruthies Clothings, Wosstika’s Designs, School Hunters, Steve Ray, Zhalima Grazion of Libya, Del Africa Fashion, Ara Ewan, Nike Art Gallery, Brandy’s Touch, Guitars Couture, Black Haute, Younass Collection, Brisk Design of Ethiopia, Eveegal, Neopele, Bouderine Apparel, Sally Intiego and Jazz Fingers.

Their collections reflected contemporary fashion trends, indigenous influences, cultural heritage, sophisticated tailoring and innovative use of fabrics. Exhibitions featuring clothing, shoes, bags and other accessories further highlighted the range of products within the fashion ecosystem.

Beyond the glamour, the event underscored the interconnected nature of the industry. Designers depend on textile producers, manufacturers, photographers, models, beauty professionals, logistics providers, retailers and media practitioners to bring their products to market.

Fashion events can create opportunities for these businesses through brand exposure, customer engagement, networking and investment discussions. Their wider economic value, however, depends on whether such opportunities translate into sustained orders, expanded businesses and access to new markets after the event ends.

International cooperation could help strengthen those prospects. At the Nigeria Fashion Awards, held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Abhishek Singh, congratulated Legendary Gold on the successful event and pledged to facilitate stronger participation by Indian companies and designers in future editions.

He said collaboration between Nigerian and Indian fashion practitioners could deepen cultural relations while creating opportunities for trade, investment, technology transfer and international market access.

The awards also recognised individuals making contributions to fashion and style in Nigeria.

Musawa received the Most Stylish Minister of the Year 2026 award, while Dr Doris Nkiruka-Anite was named Most Fashionable Female Minister in Nigeria. Khadija Sa’ad Kaita, creative director of Yarkaitab, won Modest Fashion Designer of the Year, while Olori Atuwatse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom, received the Most Elegant and Fashionable Royal Queen in Nigeria award.

Chief Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa, managing director of Lelook Nigeria Limited, received the Outstanding Contribution to the Nigerian Fashion Industry Award. Clement Mudiaga Enajemo, creative director of Mudi Africa, was named Nigerian Best Menswear Designer of the Year.

As the Nigeria Fashion Week begins its new chapter in Abuja, the real test will be whether the event can turn visibility into lasting economic benefits. Improved access to finance, reliable infrastructure, skills development, manufacturing capacity and international partnerships will remain essential to achieving that goal.

The relocation offers the capital an opportunity to become a meeting point for creativity, policy and investment. More importantly, it presents Nigeria’s fashion industry with a platform to demonstrate that its cultural influence can translate into commercial value, sustainable enterprises and new opportunities for growth.