The Federal Ministry of Environment has endorsed the Meet Africa Fashion Festival (MAFEST), describing the international event as novel and worthy of its collaboration.
The fashion festival is being organised by Mena Communications Limited in collaboration with Vanguard Media Group Limited and Modela Couture; with the official support of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDO Europe), Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Africa (NIDO Africa), PRTimes Africa and the Nigerian Fashion Magazine.
In a 26th March 2024 letter of endorsement to MAFEST President, Mr. Charles Ozoemena, by the Minister of Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Abbas Lawal, he pledged the Ministry’s full backing of the programme.
One of the sidelines of MAFEST is an annual eco-friendly workshop where up-and-coming fashion designers, especially women and youth will be exposed to the modern trends of using waste materials to design fashion wear in commercial quantity. The idea is in support of initiatives by the Federal Ministry of Environment towards ensuring the achievement of the circular economy policy of the Federal Government.
In a statement by MAFEST’s Director of Media and Communications, Mr. Lere Ojedokun, in the endorsement letter, the minister said: “It is exciting that the festival aims at celebrating the continent’s diverse cultures and traditions using a circular economy approach. We believe that this aligns with the Ministry’s efforts at reducing carbon emissions and mitigation of toxic waste in the country”.
He commended the initiators of MAFEST for conceptualising the event in support of the circular economy and Nigeria’s Climate Change Act of 2021.
According to him, “we are certain that our collaboration will not only increase the visibility of the Meet Africa Fashion Festival but also have a positive impact on the broader goals of promoting a healthy environment and economic empowerment which is one of our Ministry’s objectives”.
The dates of the four-day festival will be announced in June.
MAFEST is an iconic international brand designed to be a convergence of key stakeholders in Africa’s fashion ecosystem and garment industry. Targeted at influencing African governments and financial institutions to invest in the continent’s fashion and garment industry; considering its vastness as the second largest creator of jobs and wealth after agriculture; MAFEST seeks to showcase on this global stage Africa’s unparalleled array of creative prowess that celebrates the sartorial marvels of Africa.
According to the organisers, the show also makes way for budding fashion designers and models to gain international recognition, offering them opportunities to showcase their abundant talents on the runway, parading their couture creations, avant-garde designs, and their cutting-edge innovations.
