EVENT STORIES · INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS · 3 MIN READ
CAFA Strengthens Africa Fashion Cooperation Through Partnership with Turkey
A Memorandum of Understanding with Türkiye’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) opens new routes for manufacturing, trade and industry cooperation.
The Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Türkiye’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK), marking an important step towards strengthening fashion manufacturing, international trade and industry cooperation between Africa and Türkiye.
The agreement follows a strategic meeting held on 9 September 2026 at DEİK Headquarters in Istanbul, where CAFA President, Aare Lai Labode, met with DEİK representatives to discuss opportunities for developing Africa’s fashion industry through international partnerships.
Strengthening Nigeria’s Fashion Production Capacity
A major focus of the engagement was the need to improve fashion production capabilities in Nigeria by building relationships with established international manufacturing partners.
Türkiye has developed a strong textile and garment manufacturing industry, with capabilities spanning large-scale commercial production and high-end fashion manufacturing.
During the meeting, DEİK representatives highlighted these strengths and discussed opportunities for connecting Nigerian fashion businesses with experienced Turkish manufacturers.
For CAFA, the goal is to explore how this expertise can support the development of local production capacity, improve manufacturing standards and help Nigerian fashion businesses become more competitive.
The partnership will also explore access to technical knowledge, production networks and potential government incentives that could encourage cooperation between Nigerian and Turkish businesses.
This is particularly relevant to CAFA’s wider mission of strengthening Africa’s fashion value chain and creating an industry capable of producing more of its fashion products locally.
Expanding Market Access for African Fashion
The discussions also explored opportunities to connect African fashion brands with customers and businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
One of the proposals presented was the development of an Afro-Turkish fashion brand and an Africa Fashion House marketplace, envisioned as a platform connecting African designers with production, distribution and international retail opportunities.
The proposed marketplace would help address some of the challenges African fashion businesses face in accessing international markets, particularly fragmented distribution channels, limited production networks and logistics.
DEİK shared insights from marketplace development and international e-commerce, emphasising the importance of consistent quality, reliable production and strong commercial relationships.
Supporting the African Global Fashion Games
The partnership discussions also covered the African Global Fashion Games (AGFG), one of CAFA’s flagship initiatives to create a global platform for fashion competition and industry development.
Aare Lai Labode presented the vision for AGFG and the importance of international technical partnerships in delivering the Games to global standards.
Through the cooperation with DEİK, CAFA will explore connections with relevant institutions and technical partners in Türkiye and Europe that can contribute expertise to the planning and delivery of the Games.
This is expected to support AGFG’s international championship that brings designers and fashion professionals from different countries together, while creating opportunities for business and industry collaboration.
Turning CAFA’s Vision into Practical Partnerships
The signing of the MOU establishes a framework for continued cooperation between CAFA and DEİK, covering both institutional development and commercial opportunities.
The next phase will focus on identifying suitable manufacturing and technical partners, developing the proposed marketplace model and advancing discussions on investment and international market access.
As the Confederation advances its ambition to build a $500 billion African fashion economy, partnerships such as this provide a way to connect that vision with practical opportunities in manufacturing, trade and investment.
The Nigeria–Türkiye engagement is an important step in that process, with the potential to strengthen local production and create new opportunities for African fashion businesses in international markets.
Photography from the visit to Türkiye, supplied by the organising team.
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