Former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; and Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, have commended the organizers of the ongoing Design and Innovation Exhibition at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) in Lagos, especially on their role in providing young entrepreneurs with a global platform to showcase their talents.

 

The exhibition, which ran between February 25 and March 2, this year, was organized by Design Week Lagos, in partnership with Ecobank Nigeria and the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.

 

 

Speaking after touring the exhibition venue, Prof. Osinbajo expressed his admiration for the innovative products and designs on display, adding that, with the right support, the young innovators possessed the potential to take the nation to new heights.

 

 

The former Vice President also acknowledged Ecobank for its significant role in advancing Nigeria’s design and creative industries and called for more public-private collaborations to foster further growth in the sector.

 

 

“It’s truly inspiring to see these remarkable products and designs created by young entrepreneurs. You can see the vision, potential, ideas, and passion they’ve poured into these projects. This exhibition bridges talent with commerce, and it’s essential that we encourage them. I commend Ecobank and the organizers for supporting these youths and this industry,” he remarked.

 

Also speaking on the exhibition, Gbajabiamila  expressed his gratitude to Ecobank for its support of the initiative.

 

The former Vice President and the Chief of Staff, along with their wives, were given a guided tour of the exhibition by Titi Ogufere, Founder of Design Week Lagos; Bolaji Lawal, Managing Director/Regional Executive of Ecobank Nigeria; and other exhibition organizers and partners.

 

 

The 2025 edition of the exhibition was designed to showcase Nigeria’s top talents in furniture, product, and industrial design. Under the theme “Building a Made-in-Nigeria Brand,” celebrating the nation’s  designers’ creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship, while also focusing on industrialization and the export potential of locally made products.

 

 

The exhibition also  featured the Manufacturer and Designer’s Pavilion, highlighting collaborations between manufacturers and designers, as well as the Designer’s Pavilion, where 50 individual designers present fresh concepts across various disciplines, including furniture, toys, automotive, and industrial design, reflecting Nigeria’s diverse creative landscape.

 

 

Caption

Left: Founder of Design Week, Lagos, Titi Ogufere; Former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo; and Managing Director/Regional Executive of Ecobank Nigeria, Bolaji Lawal; during the visit of the former Vice President to the ongoing Design and Innovation Exhibition holding at Ecobank Pan African Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos