Ananse moves to plug fashion industry’s capacity gap with 30 new entrepreneurs

The Ananse Centre for Design Lagos has graduated more than 30 aspiring fashion entrepreneurs from its inaugural Fashion Incubator Scholarship Programme, marking a major milestone in Ananse’s mission to build Africa’s next generation of globally competitive fashion businesses.

Hosted at the Ananse Centre for Design Lagos in Ikate, Lekki, the graduation celebrated participants who entered the programme with little or no prior industry experience and successfully completed one of Nigeria’s most comprehensive fashion incubation programmes.

Over several months, participants received hands-on training across fashion design, leatherwork, garment production, quality assurance, sustainability, product development, entrepreneurship, branding, e-commerce and market access, equipping them with the practical and commercial skills needed to launch and grow successful businesses.

Sam Mensah, founder and CEO of Ananse Africa, speaking during the graduation ceremony, explained that the centre was created to equip aspiring entrepreneurs not just with technical skills but also to create opportunities for them to scale and access the global market.

“Africa has no shortage of talent. What has often been missing is access to world-class training, infrastructure and commercial opportunities. The Ananse

Centre for Design was created to bridge that gap, giving aspiring entrepreneurs not only technical skills, but also the business knowledge, production capabilities and market access they need to build sustainable fashion brands.”

Onome Umukoro, hub country lead, Africa, said the graduation of the first cohort marks the start of a new beginning, expressing Ananse’s commitment to equip graduates with broader access to market.

“Today’s graduation isn’t the finish line – it’s the beginning. We’re incredibly proud of what this cohort has achieved, but our role doesn’t stop here. Through Ananse’s wider ecosystem, graduates continue to have opportunities to produce, create content, access new markets and grow their businesses.”

The event featured a runway showcase of original collections designed and produced by the graduates, highlighting the creativity, craftsmanship and entrepreneurial thinking developed throughout the programme.

Fashion Incubator Scholarship Programme is delivered through strategic partnerships with the Mastercard Foundation, ISHK Tolaram Foundation, and TVET, bringing together organisations committed to expanding opportunities for young people and strengthening Africa’s creative economy.

Beyond technical training, graduates become part of the wider Ananse ecosystem, gaining continued access to production facilities, content creation services, business support, digital commerce and market access opportunities designed to help transform promising talent into commercially successful fashion businesses.

With operations across six African countries, Ananse says it continues to invest in the infrastructure, education and commercial platforms needed to position African fashion on the global stage while creating sustainable livelihoods for designers, artisans and creative entrepreneurs.