International design leaders are exploring opportunities to strengthen partnerships with Nigerian manufacturers and designers as demand for furniture and interior products creates new possibilities for business collaboration.
Marco Sabetta, General Manager of Salone del Mobile.Milano, said engagement with Nigerian professionals could help international companies understand local preferences and identify opportunities for collaboration, product development and manufacturing.
Sabetta made the remarks during engagements with Nigerian industry stakeholders at Design Week Lagos 2026, where international design representatives met architects, interior designers, property developers and business leaders.
Data cited by Salone del Mobile showed that Italian furniture exports to Africa reached €448.4 million in 2025, representing a 13.1 per cent increase from the previous year. Nigeria accounted for €41.6 million of the exports, recording a 27 per cent increase and ranking as the fourth-largest African market for Italian furniture.
Titi Ogufere, founder of Design Week Lagos, also highlighted the need to transform Africa’s creative resources, materials and expertise into marketable products capable of supporting sustainable industries.
The festival, held from October 18 to 25, 2026, explored ways to connect design with manufacturing, entrepreneurship and economic development under the theme “Making a New Africa: From Material to Market.”
The engagement could create opportunities for Nigerian designers and manufacturers to establish international partnerships, improve production capacity and reach wider markets.
However, translating these opportunities into lasting economic benefits will require investment, technical expertise and stronger links between creative professionals and local manufacturers.
The discussions highlight the potential for Nigeria’s design industry to contribute more directly to industrial development by turning local creativity and materials into competitive products.
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