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.

From purpose-driven campaigns addressing environmental conservation, public health, and digital inclusion to contributions in global entertainment, Emuron’s work consistently bridges cultures and communities. His storytelling has been recognized with some of the industry’s highest honors, including Cannes Lions, Dubai Lynx Grand Prix, Grand Clios, and Loeries.

As a jury member of the Africa International Design Awards, Emuron brings a culturally grounded and human-centered perspective to the evaluation process. His approach values authenticity, social relevance, and the power of narrative, recognizing work that not only demonstrates creative excellence, but also reflects a deep understanding of context, community, and impact within and beyond the African continent.

You’ve often been described as a storyteller whose narratives transcend borders. Where did this passion for storytelling begin, and how has it shaped your career?

To be honest as a child I used to get into trouble a lot so I used to have to figure out elaborate tales on the fly/on the spot to get me out of trouble or punishment. Also as an introvert, I found that the one thing I could do to engage people especially I did not know so as to break the ice was to tell elaborate stories. When I joined advertising, this ability to harness one’s imagination to tell intriguing tales helped to accelerate my growth as a radio and film script writer. Since then that skill has helped me weave compelling stories into brand stories.

Over two decades, you’ve worked across more than 30 African countries, drawing insights from everyday places like markets and bars. What do these settings teach you that formal research cannot?

Formal research will tell you how people behave, these everyday places will tell you how people feel. These places show you the unseen motivations of why people behave the way they do and also showcase the intangible electricity/energy of people in their daily lives.

Your projects have ranged from saving endangered rhinos to addressing HIV and encouraging older generations to embrace mobile technology. How do you approach such different challenges while keeping the human story at the center?

I’m a storyteller. That’s what I started out as. That’s what I am most comfortable doing, so no matter what the brief is or the problem I am trying to solve, my default is to start thinking of the story I need to weave to solve the problem and my starting place is always in the culture, it is always in the everyday places understanding the humans to whom I am trying to tell this story and as such, it is inevitable that a human story will be at the centre of all that I create.

Beyond advertising, you’ve written for Netflix and voiced characters in children’s shows. What attracts you to storytelling in so many formats, and how do you adapt your voice to each one?

Curiosity is what attracts me to these formats. I love great stories in any shape, form or format and I do the best I can to contribute great stories to any ready/available platform. How I am able to adapt my voice to each platform is simply because of the fact that as a younger storyteller, I experimented with multiple platforms and grew up learning to create for multiple markets which forced adaptability to be part of my natural way of being.

Having worked across so many contexts, what do you think makes African storytelling distinctive and powerful on the global stage?

African storytelling is colorful, warm and even when attempting to be subtle it is dramatic. Our continent is also extremely diverse and as such offers up a broad and deep well of great stories that can be told. Our storytelling is richly diverse.

You have won recognition at Cannes Lions, Dubai Lynx Grand Prix and Grand Clios, and also served as a juror at international festivals. How do these experiences influence the way you view your own work?

These experiences, have helped to benchmark across global standards. One of the hardest things is getting hyper local stories and making sure that are loved and appreciated by global and universal audiences whose existence and influences vastly differ from yours. Doing work that is worthy of global recognition forces you to open up your world view and sharpen your craft to match global standards while ensuring that your stories stay deeply rooted in your local experiences and nuances.

The Quollective Africa positions itself as a cultural bridge. How do you bring that idea to life in practice?

We start everything with culture. We don’t do anything without interrogating the culture and working together/co-creating with culture experts in the categories we are solving for. We immerse ourselves into culture using a tool called the Culture Safari and make sure that anything we developed is based on our findings from the culture we are creating for. We let culture dictate the way forward and don’t dictate or force our ideas onto culture.

Many of your stories address urgent social issues. How do you see creativity playing a role in driving social change in Africa today?

I strongly believe creativity and imagination are Africa’s least exploited Infrastructure. Our continent needs extraordinary solutions for our extraordinary problems. Unfortunately most of our countries leave problem solving and solution finding to the traditional experts(in many cases Engineers, Doctors and other scientists) many of whom stick the global standard ways of solving problems. The truth however is that if we need to do things differently, we need to engage the creative minds that think differently. Right now most of these minds primarily grow brands and do communication, entertainment, etc. Well harnessed, these same minds can solve Africa’s problems with African solutions in a cost effective manner.

The AIDA Awards bring together creativity across architecture, fashion, interiors, products, and more. What excites you about being part of this jury, and what qualities will you look for in the entries?

I am excited to see the work across categories. Good creative work excites me and Great creative work nourishes me. I’ll be looking for innovation, relevance to category and audience, overall freshness of thought and brave thinking.

For young African creatives who want to tell stories that connect with global audiences, what advice would you give on finding their voice and building their craft?

Start creating and experimenting. To find your voice, you need to journey through different styles and ideas. You need to study and emulate the best of the best and keep innovating until you find your distinct white space/empty real estate in the densely populated and saturated world of creativity.

Working primarily with metal, Ousmane creates furniture, lighting, and everyday objects that balance function with reflection. His collections illustrate a design language defined by strong forms, bold color, and a deep consideration of how objects shape daily life. Sustainability, durability, and cultural context remain central to his work, alongside an ongoing exploration of materials such as copper and wood.

Active internationally while deeply connected to Senegal’s design landscape, Ousmane bridges local craftsmanship with a global outlook. As a Jury Member of the Africa International Design Awards, he brings a hands-on, values-driven perspective—one that recognizes design not only for its innovation, but for its authenticity, intention, and lasting impact.

You were trained in manual trades alongside your father rather than through traditional academic paths. How did that early experience shape your way of seeing and making design?

Being trained in manual trades by my father profoundly shaped my vision of design. From a very young age, I learned to work with materials, to understand their limitations, their resistance, but also their potential. This hands-on approach instilled in me a sense of detail, precision, and above all, a respect for a job well done. Unlike a traditional academic path, this hands-on training taught me that design is not limited to aesthetics: it must be functional, durable, and suited to real-world use. Every object I design must have a reason for existing, meet a concrete need, and fit into the daily lives of its users.

“Decolonising design” is widely discussed today, but how does it translate into the way a space is actually designed, built, and experienced?

For me, it translates into choice, authorship, and proportion. It means questioning why a spatial template exists, who authored it, and who benefits from it. Decolonising design is not aesthetic decoration, it is material sourcing that prioritises local craft economies, proportioning systems rooted in African textile logic, climate-appropriate construction over imported style expectations, and narratives that centre the people who built the land, not those who documented it.

Through your role at the Pan Afrikan Design Institute (PADI), you are shaping how design is taught and understood. What is the biggest shift you still want to see in African design education?

I would like to see African design education stop defending its validity and start defining global futures. We have moved past inclusion; we are at a moment of authorship. The next shift must be an educational ecosystem that recognises indigenous knowledge as methodology, not anecdote, as theory, not folklore.

Your work draws deeply from indigenous knowledge systems. How do you carry tradition into contemporary interiors without turning it into a museum piece?

By allowing tradition to breathe, not perform. I reference indigenous systems as active technologies, ventilation, spatial hierarchy, sonic privacy, thresholds of welcome, not as ornamental motifs. When tradition is treated as wisdom rather than display, it becomes contemporary effortlessly.

Metal has become your signature material, yet you now also work with copper and wood. What draws you to experiment with new materials?

Experimenting with new materials allows me to explore other textures, other emotions, and to expand my creative language. Each material brings a new way to tell a story and enriches my design practice.

Color is one of the most striking features of your work. How do you think about it when creating a new piece?

I consider color as a material in its own right. It is considered alongside form to enhance furniture pieces. Like a human being who dresses, we all have a base, but depending on our mood and desires, we choose one color or another, and this evokes different feelings. Form is the body, and color is clothing. Color remains something that can move, change, and evolve, according to the moment, the seasons, needs, or desires.

You’ve spoken about design as a way to improve daily life. When you sit down to create, do you think first about beauty, function, or the message behind the piece?

I take all these different aspects into account from the very beginning. Utility, function, beauty, comfort, and aesthetics all go together. For me, all these aspects come into play from the outset, when I start designing the piece.

From furniture and lighting to hotel and restaurant interiors, your projects touch both private and public life. Does your approach change depending on the space, or do the same ideas guide you everywhere?

The principles remain the same: functionality, coherence, and identity. Only the scale and use of space change, leading me to adapt forms and materials without losing my vision. Human is at the heart of my thinking, whether for private or public spaces.

You have shown your work internationally, from New York to Tokyo, Lagos to Barcelona. How do global audiences respond to your creations, and what do you hope they take away from them?

The first reaction is always surprise, curiosity, and that’s always quite positive. People ask me about the choice of materials and how they were worked, the technique. What touches me most, and what I’m often told, is that it’s a very beautiful way to represent Africa.

As Design Curator for the 2024 Biennale of Contemporary African Art, what perspective did you want to bring, and how do you see design in dialogue with contemporary art?

Design is taking its rightful place in the contemporary creative ecosystem and universe. The line between design and contemporary art is very thin. Each needs the other to express itself and complement each other; it’s a constant dialogue. For 16 years, we didn’t have a design section during the Biennale, and reintegrating a whole section dedicated to design was essential for me; it was important to restore its place in the contemporary artistic debate.

The Africa International Design Awards aim to highlight designers who combine creativity with cultural and social relevance. What excites you about this initiative, and what qualities will you be looking for in the projects?

What I love is that design is often neglected and undervalued in Africa, so any initiative that highlights and celebrates it excites me, and I’m all for it!
I look forward to being surprised by the projects, my only expectation is to let people express themselves and discover their vision, what will come of it, and the impact it might have, cultural, economic, social, and so on.

Many young designers in Africa are also starting their journey outside formal education, much like you did. What advice would you share with them about finding their own path and voice in design?

Believe in yourself, listen to yourself, never stop trying, experimenting, doing.
It is only through doing that you find your path, your identity, and your voice.