The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has called on Nigerian entrepreneurs in the fashion, leather, and creative industries to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which provides access to a market of about 1.4 billion people. The appeal was made during the Enterprise Spotlight event held in Lagos under the theme “Crafting Prosperity: Connecting African Creativity to Markets, Capital and Growth.”
UNDP officials emphasized that the AfCFTA presents a major opportunity for African creatives and small businesses to expand beyond domestic markets, improve competitiveness, and access raw materials more efficiently across the continent. The agreement is expected to help entrepreneurs grow production capacity while scaling distribution to regional and international markets.
The UNDP highlighted the growing importance of Africa’s creative sector, often described as the “orange economy,” which is driven by innovation, talent, and cultural expression. However, stakeholders noted that limited access to finance remains a key barrier preventing many businesses from expanding and meeting export standards.
Speakers at the event stressed the need for increased investment in the sector, particularly financing tailored to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. They also pointed out infrastructure challenges, including unreliable energy supply, which continues to affect production capacity in manufacturing and creative industries.
The organization further encouraged stronger collaboration between governments, private investors, and development partners to build industrial hubs, improve supply chains, and strengthen value addition within the leather and fashion value chains. Such efforts, they noted, are essential for enabling African businesses to fully benefit from the AfCFTA market opportunity and compete globally.
The discussion concluded with a call for sustained policy support, improved access to capital, and deeper regional cooperation to unlock the full potential of Africa’s creative economy.
