Inspired by the people, places and traditions of the continent, the project blends illustration, research and storytelling to create designs that feel both personal and universally recognisable. Recognised by the AIDA Awards, the work highlights the power of communication design to preserve heritage while creating new ways of experiencing culture.

Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I am an award winning illustrator, designer and African storyteller based in Johannesburg, South Africa. My work is deeply inspired by my surroundings, my township upbringing and the many stories that exist across the continent. Over the years, I have developed a visual language that uses colour, pattern and character to tell stories that feel both personal and widely relatable. I am interested in work that celebrates African identity in a meaningful way while also solving a design problem for the client. That balance between storytelling and commercial value is a big part of how I approach every project.

What drew you to the idea of using an everyday object like a pocket lighter to tell stories from different African cultures?
When BIC reached out to work on this project, I immediately thought it would be exciting to transform an everyday product into something more meaningful. What interested me most was the contrast. A pocket lighter is such a small, familiar and functional object, but that is exactly what made it powerful. It already exists in people’s hands, pockets and daily moments.
So instead of seeing it only as a product, I saw it as a small canvas with the potential to carry culture, identity and memory. I liked the idea of turning something ordinary into something people could recognise themselves in. That shift is what made the project feel special to me, because it brought storytelling into daily life in a very accessible way.

How did you decide which elements of food, music, fashion and everyday life could better represent each country in the series?
The process started with research and observation. I wanted each country to feel distinct, so I looked closely at cultural symbols, daily rituals, fashion cues, music influences and the kinds of moments that people would immediately connect with. I was careful not to reduce a country to one symbol only, but rather to build from elements that felt lived in and recognisable. Food, music, fashion and lifestyle are all expressive parts of culture, so they became useful entry points into telling a broader story. I was always asking what feels honest, what feels familiar and what would resonate with people from that place.

How did you make sure each design felt locally recognisable and meaningful?
It was important for me to approach each design with care and respect. I wanted the work to feel specific, not generic. That meant paying attention to details such as styling, gestures, objects, colour combinations and the mood of the composition. I focused on things that people could identify with from their own lived experience. At the same time, I wanted the work to remain visually strong at a very small scale, so the recognisable elements had to be clear and intentional. The aim was for someone to look at a lighter and feel that it spoke to something they know, rather than something imagined from a distance.

What did it mean to receive AIDA Awards recognition for a project that turns a mass-market object into a cultural storytelling platform?

It meant a lot. As a creative, it is always affirming when work that comes from a thoughtful place gets recognised. What made this recognition special is that the project was rooted in the idea that even a mass-market object can carry meaning. It showed that storytelling and cultural relevance do not only belong in galleries or large format campaigns, they can also exist in everyday design.
For me, the recognition was not only about the award itself, but about what it said regarding the value of African stories, and the potential of illustration to transform how people experience a product.

Why do you think a platform like AIDA Awards is important now for communication design and for the visibility of African visual culture?
I think platforms like AIDA Awards are important because they create space for African work to be seen, valued and discussed on its own terms. For a long time, African visual culture has often been underrepresented, simplified or viewed through an outside lens. Awards platforms like this help shift that by recognising the depth, quality and originality of work being produced on the continent. For communication design, that visibility matters because it encourages more culturally grounded work, more experimentation and more confidence in telling stories that come from who we are. It also helps create a stronger record of contemporary African creativity for the next generation.

Looking ahead, how do you hope to keep exploring culture through illustration?
I want to keep pushing illustration as a tool for storytelling, memory and cultural celebration. I am interested in exploring more everyday African experiences, the kinds of details, objects, people and environments that shape how we live but are often overlooked. I also want to keep finding ways to bring those stories into different spaces, whether that is product, branding, public art, exhibitions or publishing. For me, the goal is to continue creating work that feels proudly African, emotionally honest and visually rich, while also showing that our stories can exist powerfully in both artistic and commercial contexts.

A Curated Exhibition of AIDA Awards 2026 Winners – BOOTH B173

Visitors to Decorex Joburg will have the opportunity to discover a selection of outstanding projects recognised in the inaugural AIDA Awards 2026 edition — spanning Spatial Design, Product Design, Fashion Design, and Communication Design. The exhibition brings the best of African-rooted design to one of the continent’s most influential design trade events, offering a rare opportunity to encounter work that was assessed by a jury of 41 distinguished professionals representing 18 nationalities, selected from over 300 submissions across 40 countries.

Future Talks by Oggie | August 1st, 2026 “Beyond Boundaries: The Power of Cross-Disciplinary Design”

On August 1st, the AIDA Awards will take the stage at Decorex’s Future Talks programme on Level 2 of the 100% Design area from 15:00 – 15:50— Decorex Africa’s live talks platform bringing together the people, ideas, and practices shaping how we live and create.

Moderated by Bathandwa Ngwendu, the panel discussion titled “Beyond Boundaries: The Power of Cross-Disciplinary Design“ will bring together leading creatives to explore how collaboration across disciplines is redefining the way we design, think, and create — from architecture and interiors to product, lighting, and communication design.

In a Pan-African context, this conversation takes on particular significance. Designers across the continent often navigate multiple roles and disciplines, responding to diverse cultural, social, and environmental realities. This adaptability fuels a distinctive, holistic design language — one that is both innovative and deeply rooted in context. The discussion will also reflect on why cross-disciplinary design sits at the core of the AIDA Awards vision: celebrating architects, product designers, fashion designers, and visual communicators on one shared platform.

The panel will feature Martin Döller, Founder and Creative Director of One to One by Martin Döller and member of the AIDA Awards jury — a lighting designer with over 20 years of experience and a philosophy rooted in biophilia, who has delivered over 1,000 projects across four continents. He will be joined by a selection of AIDA Awards 2026 winners and Jury members, including Tracy Lee Lynch (Creative Director/Design Curator, Clout/SA and the Nando’s Design Program, AIDA Awards Product Design of the Year 2026), Chelsea Makin and Andrew Makin ( Co-Founders & Designers, Alkaline Studio, AIDA Awards winner 2026), Tshepo Masilo ( Art Director & Illustrator, Tshepomas(Pty)Ltd, AIDA Awards Communication Designer of the Year 2026), Ryan Olivier ( Founder and Creative Director, Vitalli, AIDA Awards  Winner 2026) and Desmond Laubscher ( Co-Founder and CEO, Greenside Design Center, College of Design, AIDA Awards Jury member 2026).

Key themes to be explored include the value and challenges of cross-disciplinary collaboration, the Pan-African perspective on adaptability and innovation, breaking traditional silos in design practice and education, and why cross-disciplinary thinking is central to the future of design.

About Decorex Joburg

Now in its fourth decade, Decorex has been at the forefront of decor, design and lifestyle trends, hosting over 100 events and helping to launch thousands of businesses, shaping the industry. The Future Talks programme brings together the people, ideas and practices shaping how we live now and what comes next — balancing inspiration, cultural context and practical insight.

About the AIDA Awards

Managed by Three C Group GmbH (Switzerland), the Africa International Design Awards was established to spotlight and elevate design talent rooted in African culture, context, and creativity. The inaugural 2026 edition recognised outstanding work across four disciplines, assessed by an international jury of 41 distinguished professionals representing 18 nationalities.

Bringing together designers, architects, creatives, industry leaders, jury members, and press representatives from across Africa and beyond, the two-day event will celebrate the growing impact of African creativity and innovation on the global stage.

The program will begin on Friday, July 24, at Sémé City with a full day dedicated to networking, conferences, Design Talks, and presentations by winning designers. Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit the Africa Design School and engage in conversations around the future of design “Made in Africa.”

The celebrations will continue on Saturday, July 25, at the prestigious Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa with the official AIDA Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception. The evening will honour the outstanding winners of the 2026 edition, including the presentation of the coveted “Designers of the Year” trophies, exhibitions of winning projects, and a cocktail reception overlooking the marina.

Each attending winner will be invited on stage to receive either an official trophy or certificate, creating what organizers describe as “an unforgettable celebration of African creative excellence.”

“This inaugural gathering represents far more than an awards ceremony,” shared Astrid Hébert, Founder. “It is a platform for connection, collaboration, and visibility for the next generation of African creative talent.”

Managed by ThreeC Group GmbH, the Africa International Design Awards (AIDA) aims to spotlight excellence across architecture, product design, interior design, fashion, communication, and creative disciplines throughout the African continent.

The AIDA Awards are made possible through a growing ecosystem of exceptional jury members, sponsors, partners, and supporters who share a commitment to elevating African design on the global stage. At the heart of the initiative stands the Africa Design School, alongside with two official sponsors L’École de Design Nantes Atlantique and the African Fashion Foundation (AFF).  The Awards ceremony and conferences will take place in Cotonou, Benin at the end of July 2026.

Program partners include African Female Architects, Africa Fashion Tour, Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW), d5mag, Design Week South Africa, Design Week Lagos, Pan Afrikan Design Institute (PADI), Scape Magazine, v2com Newswire, DEFSA, Decorex Africa, The Fashion Law Institute, and PAID Summit.

The response to the first-ever AIDA Awards has been nothing short of remarkable. The program received over 300 submissions from 40 countries, including 24 nations across the African continent — from Tanzania to Morocco, and from Zambia to Benin — affirming the depth, diversity, and global resonance of African-centred design today.

“When launching the first edition of the AIDA Awards, we hoped to reveal the extraordinary richness of design rooted in African experience — and what we received surpassed every expectation,” says Astrid Hébert, Founder of the AIDA Awards.

Submissions were reviewed across four main award categories: Spatial Design, Product Design, Fashion Design, and Communication Design. Thejury board assessed each entry not only on aesthetic and technical merit, but on cultural resonance, sustainability, social impact, and innovation — values that sit at the very core of AIDA Awards’s mission.

Led by Bibi Seck (Founder, Birsel + Seck) as Head of Jury, the panel included voices such as Coline-Lee Toumson (Cultural & Artistic Affairs Advisor, Republic of Benin), Lani Adeoye (Founder & Designer, Studio Lani), Selly Raby Kane (Founder & Artistic Lead, SRK), Jomo Tariku (Designer, Jomo Furniture, LLC), Titi Ogufere (CEO, Africa Design Network), and Roberta Annan (Founder, African Fashion Foundation), Saki Mafundikwaamong (Founder & Director of Zimbabwe Institute of Vigital Arts (ziva)), Issa Diabaté (Managing Director, Koffi & Diabaté Group) –  Juliet Kavishe (Executive Board Member, Pan Afrikan Design Institute (PADI) many others.

In the Spatial Design category, Bidi Bidi Performing Arts Centre by Xavier De Kestelier, Felix Holland, Joshua Mutabaazi, Edson Agume, Wilson Sendikwanawa, and Allan Semakula, of Hassell Studio and Localworks was awarded “Architectural Design of the Year”, recognized for its community-built performing arts centre serving over 270,000 South Sudanese refugees in Yumbe District, Uganda — a landmark in low-carbon humanitarian architecture. Pearl Jam by Nicole Moyo received the “Architectural Designer of the Year”, for a public art installation in the Miami Design District that translates Ndebele beading traditions into immersive sculptural form. The “Emerging Architect of the Year” was awarded to François Abatan (with Sanny Axelle and Carol Gnimadi) of Africa Design School for OGOUN – Goddess of Iron and Courage, a contemporary reinterpretation of a Vodoun temple in Benin that bridges tradition and modern spatial expression.

In Product Design, Stitched, a story of our home by Tracy Lynch and Cebo Mvubu of Clout/SA, in collaboration with the Keiskamma Art Project, earned “Product Design of the Year” — a wallpaper, fabric and homeware collection translating the trust’s signature hand-stitched embroidery into the interior design market, rooted in the coastal village of Hamburg, South Africa. Terry Aidoo received “Product Designer of the Year” for Kabila Collection, a contemporary furniture series inspired by the spatial language of African home courtyards, produced in Italy using responsibly sourced Nigerian sapele wood. The “Emerging Product Designer of the Year “went to Didier Stéphane Kingnide Gnonlonfoun of Beijing Institute of Technology for Sport Can, an innovative recycling device that converts plastic waste into footballs — addressing both environmental and sports access challenges across African communities.

In Fashion Design discipline, The Rowe by Charles Johnson of World Shoe, Inc. was named “Fashion Design of the Year”, a sustainably manufactured footwear innovation produced at a pioneering factory in Akosombo, Ghana, combining high-fashion sensibility with social enterprise and biodegradable EVA foam technology. Ghizlaine Elmanjra received “Fashion Designer of the Year” for The Baazz Sneaker, a luxury fashion brand rooted in radical transparency and African craft heritage, born from a 1,200m² creative ecosystem in the old Medina of Casablanca.

In Communication Design, UE au Sénégal – Baie de Hann by David Vallier, Olivier Marchetti, and Tampidaro of Ag Partners Publicis Africa Group — commissioned by the European Union in Senegal — was awarded “Communication Design of the Year”, for a bold awareness campaign addressing the ecological crisis of Hann Bay in Dakar through the work of local urban painter Tampidaro. Tshepo Masilo earned “Communication Designer of the Year” for the BIC I Love Africa Pocket Lighter Series, transforming everyday product packaging into a cultural storytelling platform across Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Cameroon. The “Emerging Communication Designer of the Year” was awarded to Annabelle Armstrong of Greenside Design Center for Becoming a Beacon, an editorial design project mapping Nelson Mandela’s life through the structural narrative of a lighthouse.

Bibi Seck, Head of the Jury: When I was invited to serve as Jury President for the first edition of the African International Design Awards, I realized I had quietly crossed a threshold—stepping, perhaps, into the circle of elders. My grandson calls me Papi Bibi, while many young designers across the continent now call me BibiBaba. It is both tender and telling!

As I write these lines, I think of my brothers in creation—Laduma, Christian Benimana, Issa Diabaté, Naeem Bijivi—and so many others who are shaping what can only be called a creative revolution across Africa.

Every participant in this competition left a mark. What emerges is clear: our community of designers is not only growing, it is maturing—becoming sharper, more inventive, more rooted. Again and again, we witness intelligent responses to our realities, born from within. We see architects committed to imagining the spaces where we will live and work—spaces that are healthy, contextual, and grounded in materials and knowledge inherited from our ancestors. And through AIDA Awards, we glimpse the next generation—those we will not only celebrate, but actively seek, support, and walk alongside.

The AIDA Awards are made possible through a growing ecosystem of exceptional jury members, sponsors, partners, and supporters who share a commitment to elevating African design on the global stage. At the heart of the initiative stands the Africa Design School, alongside with two official sponsors L’École de Design Nantes Atlantique and the African Fashion Foundation (AFF).  The Awards ceremony and conferences will take place in Cotonou, Benin at the end of July 2026.

Program partners include African Female Architects, Africa Fashion Tour, Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW), d5mag, Design Week South Africa, Design Week Lagos, Pan Afrikan Design Institute (PADI), Scape Magazine, v2com Newswire, DEFSA, Decorex Africa, The Fashion Law Institute, and PAID Summit.

At the heart of the celebration is a trophy that embodies the very values it represents. Designed using recycled plastic sourced across West Africa, it transforms existing materials into a meaningful symbol of innovation and responsibility. More than an award, it is a statement—one that highlights the potential of sustainable design to reimagine resources and create lasting value.

With its bold, layered forms, the trophy captures the richness and diversity of creative voices across Africa and beyond. Each piece tells a story of collaboration, resilience, and forward-thinking design, making it a fitting tribute to the designers whose work continues to push boundaries and inspire change.

A Foundation Built on Collaboration
The initiative is powered by two WDO Members: Three C Group GmbH, the organization behind the globally recognized 3C Awards portfolio, and Africa Design School, the first design school in West Africa.

Three C Group GmbH, through its 3C Awards brands, curates and promotes design excellence across lighting, furniture, sports, interior, and architecture. With submissions from over 65 countries annually and more than 100 international expert jury members, the 3C Awards has become a recognized mark of quality for contemporary design achievement. In addition to recognition, the organization provides networking opportunities, supports exhibitions, and promotes the appreciation of design through education, outreach, and media exposure, creating market access for both rising and established professionals worldwide.

Africa Design School adds an equally important transformative dimension: established in 2019 in Cotonou and initiated by WDO Educational Member L’École de design Nantes Atlantique with the support of the Sèmè City Development Agency, the school was created to respond to Africa’s developing economic and social challenges. It trains designers to international standards whilst including contextual relevance, digital culture, sustainable city thinking, and user-centred innovation into its curriculum.

Together, these WDO Member organizations combine global curatorial expertise, international communication reach, and award infrastructure with strong regional educational leadership and cultural grounding. This partnership shows that AIDA Awards are not only a recognition platform but also a structured ecosystem that promotes long-term design development and international visibility for African creatives.

The programme is further supported and sponsored by L’École de design Nantes Atlantique, another WDO Member institution widely respected for its focus on research, pedagogy, and intercultural collaboration. Its involvement reinforces the academic depth of the initiative and deepens the exchange between European and African design communities.

Through this alliance, AIDA Awards demonstrates how cross-continental collaboration can create concrete pathways for talent development, professional exposure, and global design integration, all adding to a better-balanced and open international design field.

The AIDA Awards Jury
The relationship between AIDA Awards and the global design ecosystem is also reflected in the composition of its international jury, which includes respected stakeholders from across WDO’s global community, contributing professional expertise, research insight, and leadership experience.

Among them is Mugendi K. M’Rithaa, WDO President Emeritus and Senator, industrial designer, educator, and researcher at Machakos University (Kenya). A transdisciplinary design leader educated in Kenya, the United States, India, and South Africa, Professor M’Rithaa holds degrees in design, industrial design, higher education, and a doctorate in universal design.

He has taught across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, with a strong focus on socially conscious design, including human-centred design, climate action, social innovation, inclusive design, and indigenous knowledge systems. A founding member and Simba Fellow of the Pan-Afrikan Design Institute (PADI), he serves in advisory roles with the Interior Designers’ Association of Kenya, Open Design Afrika, Nairobi Design Week, and UNESCO’s International Centre for Creativity and Sustainable Development (ICCSD).

As WDO President Emeritus and Senator, and the organization’s first African President (2015–2017), Professor M’Rithaa has played an important role in positioning African design within international conversation. His promotion of Ubuntu philosophy and design thinking as catalysts for sustainable development continues to influence policy, education, and professional practice worldwide.

Also serving on the jury is Seun Olatunji, Founder and Design Strategist at OLAT Design Consultancy. Seun works at the intersection of strategy and creativity, helping organizations translate deep customer knowledge into sustainable, user-centred solutions.

Based on the principles of design thinking, his approach merges desirability, feasibility, and viability to develop products, services, and systems that address real-life challenges. Seun is also the author of A Virtual Training Guide to Becoming a Professional Graphic Designer and co-creator of the award-winning documentary The Pride and Glory of Nigeria, produced in collaboration with FrameAfric, which explores the symbolism and cultural significance of Nigeria’s national flag.

Contributing to a Broader Design Ecosystem
While AIDA Awards are an independent international programme, their collaboration with WDO Member organizations and respected design leaders is a clear example of commitment to supporting design education, encouraging responsible practice, and fostering meaningful creative growth.

At a time when designers are responding to sustainability pressures, digital acceleration, and new economic realities, collaboration across regions has become increasingly important. Working with institutions and professionals affiliated with World Design Organization enables AIDA Awards to contribute to a broader, more connected design community.

These partnerships create strong opportunities for exchange: between educators and practitioners, between emerging talent and established leaders, and between African designers and the global network, helping them expand visibility, deepen dialogue, and guarantee that the creativity of the African continent is represented as an active and influential voice within the global design landscape.

Through this cross-continental engagement, AIDA Awards continues to grow beyond recognition alone, building a platform that supports long-term development, professional connections, and sustained impact.

Designers, institutions, and creative leaders interested in contributing to this evolving dialogue are invited to learn more and engage with the programme at africainternationaldesignawards.com.

Founded by Roberta Annan, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador for the Creative Economy and internationally recognised business leader, the African Fashion Foundation operates at the intersection of culture, business, and global opportunity. Via strategic partnerships and long-term investment in talent, AFF continues to play an important role in developing Africa’s creative and fashion industries.

Over the years, AFF has built a measurable and valuable impact:

Behind these figures stands a devoted team and an influential international advisory network.

Program Director Elisabeth Morzadec, a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London with a Master’s degree in African Development, leads key initiatives including the African Fashion Futures Incubator and the Fashion Industry Retreat. With French and Ghanaian heritage and extensive experience across West Africa’s cultural industries, she brings both academic depth and hands-on insight to AFF’s programming.

On the digital front, Julius Quansah Yankson, Digital Strategist at AFF, leads the foundation’s online presence and community-building efforts, ensuring African talent connects with a worldwide audience.
AFF’s international board further strengthens its reach, including Lupo Lanzara (Deputy Chairman, Accademia Costume & Moda, Italy), Waridi Schrobsdorff (Berlin-based fashion entrepreneur and advocate for African talent), Adenike Adebayo-Makinde (Nigerian lawyer and business leader), and Sara Sozzani Maino (Deputy Director of Vogue Italia and Head of Vogue Talents), widely recognised for supporting emerging designers worldwide.

The work of the African Fashion Foundation is structured around three pillars: Convene, Collaborate, and Cultivate. Through these pillars, AFF brings together key industry leaders, encourages cross-sector dialogue, activates lasting ecosystems, honours Africa’s cultural heritage, and supports innovation.
As an official sponsor of the AIDA Awards, AFF contributes more than visibility. The partnership connects two platforms that believe recognition must be accompanied by infrastructure – while awards elevate talent, foundations create long-term pathways.

AIDA Awards, established to become the most comprehensive international design competition dedicated to Africa and its diaspora, provide a continental and global platform for designers working on projects covering spatial, product, communication, and fashion-related disciplines. Through this partnership, designers supported by AFF gain expanded visibility across multiple design sectors, while AIDA Awards strengthen its devotion to sustainable ecosystem development.

Beyond sponsorship, the African Fashion Foundation contributes to the growth of Africa’s creative infrastructure through a portfolio of initiatives and projects:

Together, these initiatives share a common goal: supporting systemic growth rather than short-term exposure.

For AIDA Awards, this partnership symbolizes an intentional expansion of its mission: to proactively support the future of the African creative economy. While recognition is essential, infrastructure, mentorship, and investment pathways truly help creatives’ careers grow and transform.

As Head of the Jury for the first edition of the Africa International Design Awards (AIDA) 2026, he brings a rare combination of global industrial experience and deep cultural grounding. From automotive design to luxury watchmaking, and from Dakar to New York, his journey reflects a lifelong commitment to design as responsibility, narrative, and impact.

I was drawn to design very early because I was fascinated by how objects shape our daily lives and our dignity. Growing up in Senegal, I observed how creativity often emerges from necessity. Later, at Renault, working on projects like the Scénic II and the Trafic Van taught me that design is about responsibility at scale — when you design a car, you are shaping the experience of millions. At Tag Heuer, with the F1 Micrograph watch, I learned precision, storytelling, and emotional detail. Those early projects shaped my belief that design must combine innovation, culture, and human sensitivity.

Whether I design a car, a watch, a chair, or a cultural initiative, I always start with the same question: what human need am I responding to? Each discipline has its own constraints, but the core remains identical — listening, observing, and creating meaning. What connects them all is my desire to design for people, not for ego. For me, design is not about style; it is about service, narrative, and impact.

Projects like Design 4 People and AfroEats are meaningful because they are rooted in transmission and empowerment. Africa has extraordinary creativity, but it needs platforms and confidence. Through these initiatives, I want to show that African design is not “emerging” — it is evolving, innovating, and leading. Globally, I want this work to be seen not as a niche, but as a central contribution to contemporary culture.

Moving between Dakar and New York keeps me mentally flexible. Dakar gives me depth, community, memory, and cultural grounding. New York challenges me with speed, diversity, and global dialogue. The tension between these two contexts sharpens my perspective. It reminds me that identity and universality are not opposites — they strengthen each other.

When I teach, I hope students leave with confidence in their voice. Technique can be learned, but clarity of intention must be cultivated. I encourage them to understand where they come from and what they stand for. In return, I learn humility and curiosity. Students constantly question assumptions, and that keeps my own thinking alive.

What excites me most about the first edition of the AIDA Awards is the sense of collective energy. For the first time, projects from across the continent are being seen together, in dialogue. That visibility creates recognition, and recognition builds confidence. I am especially excited to see how diverse the interpretations of “African design” truly are.

Beyond recognition, AIDA Awards can create networks. Awards should not only celebrate; they should connect designers, investors, institutions, and media. If AIDA becomes a platform for collaboration and mentorship, it can strengthen ecosystems and support sustainable creative economies across Africa.

Right now, architecture and furniture design feel particularly dynamic in Africa. There is a strong return to local materials, climate-responsive thinking, and cultural references. At the same time, fashion continues to redefine global aesthetics through African narratives. What is powerful is this combination of heritage and forward-thinking experimentation.

To young designers, I would say: limitations can be a source of innovation. Do not wait for perfect conditions. Start with what you have. Build consistency. Tell your story clearly. And most importantly, stay patient. Design is a long journey — credibility grows over time.

I hope AIDA Awards will create a long-term archive of excellence — a reference point that future generations can look back to. If, in twenty years, African designers feel that they are not peripheral but central to global design conversations, then the legacy will have succeeded.

Founded in 2021 by Bernice Asein, the Fashion Law Institute Africa is an independent initiative dedicated to advancing research, education, and policy development at the intersection of law, fashion, and the creative industries across the African continent. Through its work, the institute focuses on strengthening legal awareness and supporting designers, businesses, and stakeholders in navigating the evolving legal frameworks shaping Africa’s fashion and design sectors.

As an independent initiative focused on the African continent, the institute promotes legal awareness and knowledge-sharing around intellectual property, policy development, and the legal frameworks shaping the fashion and design industries. Through research, educational initiatives, and industry dialogue, the Fashion Law Institute Africa works to support designers, businesses, and stakeholders in navigating the legal dimensions of Africa’s growing creative economy.

The collaboration between the Fashion Law Institute and the AIDA Awards reflects a shared belief that creative excellence must be supported by strong professional frameworks. While awards celebrate talent and innovation, legal literacy and access to professional expertise are essential for designers seeking to protect their work and build sustainable creative businesses.

Across Africa and its diaspora, designers are producing work that merges cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and contemporary design thinking. As these creators increasingly engage with global markets, understanding intellectual property rights, licensing structures, contracts, and brand protection becomes a key factor in maintaining ownership and creating long-term value.

Through this partnership, the Fashion Law Institute contributes its expertise to the AIDA Awards ecosystem, helping strengthen the legal awareness and professional readiness of emerging and established designers alike.

Beyond partnership visibility, the Fashion Law Institute will contribute to the growth of Africa’s creative infrastructure through dedicated legal expertise and educational initiatives.

Key contributions include:

Together, these initiatives aim to strengthen designers’ understanding of the legal frameworks that shape today’s global creative industries. By combining recognition with access to legal expertise, the partnership helps designers better protect their intellectual property and approach the growth of their creative practice with greater confidence.

For the AIDA Awards, this collaboration adds an important dimension to its mission of supporting African design. While the awards highlight outstanding work across disciplines, partnerships such as this help ensure that designers are equipped with the professional knowledge needed to navigate international markets and safeguard the long-term value of their ideas.

Organized by Light Design Factory, the Pan-African Interior Design Summit is an industry platform dedicated to advancing interior design across Africa through dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange. The summit brings together interior designers, architects, developers, manufacturers, and creative leaders for a curated program of talks, panel discussions, and networking opportunities focused on the evolving design landscape across the continent.

The 2026 edition of the PAID Summit will take place from May 7–9, 2026, bringing together designers, architects, students, and industry leaders from across Africa and the diaspora in a three-day virtual convening focused on intentional design, culture, sustainability, and the future of African-led creative practice.

By connecting professionals from across Africa and beyond, the PAID Summit encourages conversations around innovation, sustainability, cultural identity, and the future of design practice in the region. Through its programming, the initiative highlights the growing influence of African design and supports a new generation of designers contributing to the global creative community.

Through this partnership, the Africa International Design Awards and the Pan-African Interior Design Summit will collaborate to further promote excellence in African design and provide greater visibility for designers, studios, and projects shaping the continent’s creative industries.

As the first edition of the Africa International Design Awards continues to build momentum, partnerships with initiatives such as the Pan-African Interior Design Summit help strengthen the broader design network and create opportunities for collaboration, recognition, and international exposure for designers across Africa.