FADAN proposes to build production hub, retail store in Lagos

The Fashion Designers’ Association of Nigeria (FADAN), Lagos Chapter has proposed a production hub which is going to be like a meeting point for key players. To build the production hub in Lagos the association would require about N150 million.

Mr Kolawole Kuddus, the State Coordinator of the association, said that the production hub would also include a retail store that would display finished clothing items and accessories made by Nigerian fashion designers and pattern makers.

The hub is a child of necessity because it would serve as a breeding ground for budding fashion designers, reduce the high production costs in fashioning and also boost productivity.

It is an industry that employs about 70 percent of the graduates in the last three years in fashion photography, magazine production, pattern making, styling and wardrobe consultancy.

The investment in the hub is nothing less than N150 million, and they are looking up to the government at all levels and investors to lend their support to this viable cause.

With the scourge of unemployment, the industry has become a solace to so many unemployed people, and so any investment in this sector can never be in vain.

Kuddus also said that FADAN had begun a monthly programme tagged “Designers’ Mart’ where young fashion designers gather to display their latest products. The programme kicked off in June 2014 and has since attracted so many fashion lovers and yielded a lot of profit for the fashion designers.

He urged upcoming fashion designers to register with the association in order to pull resources together, maintain standards and also build stronger companies with partnership.

Federal Government has been urged to revive the textile companies as it would reduce the cost of raw materials for the fashion and design sector, and also boost value addition to Nigerian clothing products.

A NAN investigation reveals that most Nigerian fashion designers display their products online, given the increased number of internet users which has risen to 57 million from 200,000 in year 2000.

The online shopping has increased to N78 billion in 2014, and most of the items being purchased are clothing.

According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics 2013 report, the fashion, garment and footwear sub-sector contributes 0.67 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, but has very high potential for growth. (NAN).

Nigeria’s fashion industry was worth about N10 billion with an average Nigerian spending between N100,000 and N1 million on Nigerian-made cloths annually.