Lagos, Nigeria – October 10, 2025. Ananse, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and with the support of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Art, Culture & Creative Economy, has launched the Ananse Center for Design Lagos to empower young fashion creatives with the skills, tools, and market access to grow their small and micro businesses in the creative economy and create sustainable jobs.

The 1,200-square-meter facility Center, located at 10 Nike Art Gallery Road, Lekki Ikate, will help amplify Anase’s wider goal to enable more than 5,000 emerging fashion and design-focused creatives and create access to 50,000 jobs, with seventy percent of participants being women. This initiative will address critical gaps in the fashion industry and serve as a hub for creativity, skills development, and entrepreneurship, further driving innovation and inclusion within Nigeria’s fashion industry. Participants of the training program will benefit from 22 courses across five modules: Business Skills, Business Development, E-commerce, Marketing, and Product Development, delivered both physically at the Center’s fashion hub and virtually through interactive live sessions.

“The Ananse Center for Design Lagos is more than a space, it is a catalyst for change. By combining training, infrastructure and global market access, we are giving thousands of young creatives, especially women, the chance to turn their talent into sustainable livelihoods. This launch marks an important step in building a future where African design thrives locally and globally,” said Samuel Mensah, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ananse.

The new Center will feature training rooms for mentorship and masterclasses, content studios to amplify brands, photography and Computer-Aided Design labs for product development, and specialized studios for leather, clothing, shoes, and bags. A private showroom will provide space to showcase designs, while co-working spaces will foster collaboration and peer learning. Though anchored in Lagos, the center will welcome participants from across the continent and has made affordability and accessibility central to its model, ensuring that vulnerable groups, including displaced people, can participate and benefit.

“Our partnership with Ananse and the unveiling of the Center for Design Lagos reflects the Mastercard Foundation’s strategic commitment to the creative sector as a catalyst for youth opportunity. By bringing together training, infrastructure, and access to markets, the Centre creates pathways for young people, especially young women, to thrive, build sustainable livelihoods, and contribute meaningfully to inclusive economic growth,” said Rosy Fynn, Country Director, Nigeria Program, Mastercard Foundation.

Designers, artisans, and other creative entrepreneurs can access the Centre’s full range of services – from training programmes and mentorship to machinery rentals, product sampling, studio spaces, and business support. For more information and to register, visit ananse.com/fashionhub.

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy of Nigeria has also endorsed the Center and signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with Ananse to scale the model nationwide. “The launch of the Ananse Center for Design Lagos aligns with our commitment to advancing Nigeria’s creative economy. By investing in skills, facilities and global visibility for our designers, we are creating jobs, supporting women and youth, and ensuring Nigerian creativity is recognized on the world stage. Our collaboration with Ananse will help scale this model across the country and secure lasting impact for the sector,” said Honourable Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy.
The project is further supported by international partners, including DHL, Ecobank and the African Union, ensuring that Nigerian design is connected to global audiences. The Ananse.com platform complements.