UN Women Envoy Hails Lagos Fashion Tech Hub as “Movement Powering Africa’s Digital Future. By Raymond Enoch
UN Women West Africa Regional Director, Oulimata Sarr Mhouinato, yesterday applauded the Women in Fashion Tech initiative in Lagos, describing it as a powerful model for women’s economic transformation in Africa’s digital age.
Mhouinato, who is on a mission to Nigeria, visited the Women in Fashion Tech Office where she met with female entrepreneurs, innovators and trainees turning design ambitions into thriving tech-driven businesses. The initiative has already trained hundreds of women and girls, converting creativity into economic power and laying the groundwork for a gender-inclusive digital economy.
Founded after a 2022 training programme by UN Women Nigeria, the association has rapidly evolved into a platform for women to lead, innovate and compete in the fashion industry. Through an ongoing partnership, UN Women has provided business development support, access to international markets and technical guidance to help female creators scale ideas from local talent to global enterprise.
“We are not just witnessing the evolution of a programme, but a movement—one that equips women to own their creativity, leverage digital tools, and lead the future of work,” Mhouinato said during the visit.
She emphasized that investment in women’s digital and creative skills unlocks more than individual success, noting that it “activates entire value chains, from sustainable fashion to global innovation.”
Mhouinato celebrated the initiative for transforming skills into businesses and ideas into opportunities, reaffirming UN Women’s commitment to advancing a digital and creative ecosystem where women thrive, compete and shape Africa’s economic trajectory.
