By Chidera Ezeokeke
The Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa has reiterated the administration’s commitment to job creation using the vehicle of arts.
She spoke in Lagos, at the weekend at the unveiling of the Ananse Centre, a 1,200-square-meter facility located at 10A Nike Art Gallery Road, Lekki Ikate.
The centre’s wider goal is to enable more than 5,000 emerging fashion and design-focused creatives and create access to 50,000 jobs, with seventy percent of participants being young women.
The minister, who endorsed the centre after signing a five-year memorandum of understanding with Ananse to scale the model nationwide, said “The launch of the Ananse Center for Design Lagos aligns with our commitment to advancing Nigeria’s creative economy. By investing in skills, facilities and global visibility for our designers, we are creating jobs, supporting women and youth, and ensuring Nigerian creativity is recognised on the world stage. Our collaboration with Ananse will help scale this model across the country and secure lasting impact for the sector.”
Speaking during the panel session, the minister noted that one of the biggest challenges confronting designers on e-commerce is unfulfilled orders, poor access to data, and the issue of how to sustain supply chains.
“To scale that, creatives need to be empowered with supply chains that can scale, so they can get the material they need to fulfill their orders.”
While noting that the centre will help to bridge the noticeable gaps, she was however quick to advise the SMEs to utilise the opportunities such a hub offers to be able to fully harness their potentials.
Participants of the training program will benefit from 22 courses across five modules: Business Skills, Business Development, E-commerce, Marketing, and Product Development, delivered both physically at the Center’s fashion hub and virtually through interactive live sessions.
“The Ananse Center for Design Lagos is more than a space, it is a catalyst for change. By combining training, infrastructure and global market access, we are giving thousands of young creatives, especially women, the chance to turn their talent into sustainable livelihoods. This launch marks an important step in building a future where African design thrives locally and globally,” said Samuel Mensah, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ananse.
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“Our partnership with Ananse and the unveiling of the Center for Design Lagos reflects the Mastercard Foundation’s strategic commitment to the creative sector as a catalyst for youth opportunity. By bringing together training, infrastructure, and access to markets, the Centre creates pathways for young people, especially young women, to thrive, build sustainable livelihoods, and contribute meaningfully to inclusive economic growth,” said Rosy Fynn, Country Director, Nigeria Program, Mastercard Foundation.
The new Centre will feature training rooms for mentorship and masterclasses, content studios to amplify brands, photography and Computer-Aided Design labs for product development, and specialised studios for leather, clothing, shoes, and bags.
A private showroom will provide space to showcase designs, while co-working spaces will foster collaboration and peer learning.
Though anchored in Lagos, the centre will welcome participants from across the continent and has made affordability and accessibility central to its model, ensuring that vulnerable groups, including displaced people, can participate and benefit.
Designers, artisans, and other creative entrepreneurs can access the Centre’s full range of services – from training programmes and mentorship to machinery rentals, product sampling, studio spaces, and business support. For more information and to register, visit ananse.com/fashionhub.
The project is further supported by international partners, including DHL, Ecobank and the African Union, ensuring that Nigerian design is connected to global audiences. Our strategic partners, Botho Emerging Markets Group, support the initiative with research, strategy, monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
