In what promises to be the grandest fashion extravaganza in Nigeria, the Meet Africa Fashion Festival (MAFEST) 2024 is set to be organised in collaboration with Vanguard Media Limited, Lagos.
The collaboration was formalised through an acceptance letter from Vanguard Media Limited to Mr. Charles Ozoemena, Founder and President of MAFEST, dated January 9, 2024. The festival has also secured strategic partnerships with key organisations, including the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, Europe (NIDO Europe), Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, Africa (NIDO Africa), PRTimes Africa, and Vogue Concepts LTD, Lagos.
The Continental Chairman of NIDO Europe, Dr. Bashir Obasekola, expressed his endorsement of MAFEST in a letter dated November 28, 2023. The letter emphasised the collective effort to raise awareness, provide valuable support to emerging designers, and contribute to the growth and sustainability of the African fashion industry.
Scheduled for September 2024, MAFEST has gained significant support, with the NTDA endorsing the festival in a letter dated October 12, 2023. The NTDA acknowledged the festival’s potential to empower youth through job creation and promote Nigeria’s rich fashion heritage, foreseeing a positive impact on domestic tourism and the national economy.
Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation, Africa, echoed their support through a letter dated September 3, 2023. The organisation, represented by its Continental President, Prof. Osakwe, expressed excitement about the partnership and confidence in mobilising Diaspora contemporary fashion skills and resources for a successful international fashion festival.
MAFEST aims to be a convergence of major stakeholders in Africa’s fashion and garment industry, attracting designers, models, influencers, celebrities, professionals, and enthusiasts from around the world. The festival strives to influence African governments and financial institutions to invest in the fashion and garment sector, recognising its potential as a significant job creator and wealth generator.
By bringing together Vanguard Media Limited, NTDA, NIDO Africa, NIDO Europe, PRTimes Africa, Vogue Concepts, and MAFEST, this mega collaboration seeks to transform the African fashion landscape, placing it prominently on the global stage. The collective effort aims to provide a unique platform for designers from various African nations, fostering networks and partnerships that will elevate the African fashion industry to new heights.
