Manny Ita
LAGOS, NIGERIA — The 2026 edition of Creative Retail Weekend is scheduled to commence this Saturday, Jan. 10, at the British Council Office in Ikoyi, Lagos. Powered by the tech startup Coconut Africa and supported by the British Council’s Creative Showcase Programme, the two-day festival is positioned as a primary platform for Africa’s emerging creative entrepreneurs. The event will run through Sunday, Jan. 11, bringing together a diverse group of fashion designers, beauty brands, lifestyle entrepreneurs, and culture shapers to explore the intersection of creativity and commerce.
Attendees can expect a comprehensive program featuring fashion runway shows that spotlight both established and rising African designers and models. Beyond the catwalk, the weekend includes a series of masterclasses led by retail experts and industry thought leaders, designed to provide practical insights into scaling local brands for global competitiveness. A central feature of the festival is the “Made-in-Africa” product market, which offers a dedicated exhibition space for local makers and sellers to showcase their goods to a wider audience of buyers and enthusiasts.
The 2026 festival represents a significant expansion of the initiative, which began as a smaller “Creative Retail Meetup” in early 2025. Kingston Stratis, Founder and CEO of Coconut Africa, noted that the event aims to provide African entrepreneurs with a stage that matches their global ambitions. By integrating elements of education, networking, and direct commerce, organizers hope to strengthen the continent’s creative retail ecosystem and drive job creation within the local economy.
In addition to professional programming, the event will feature creative meetups, networking sessions, and industry talks focused on international market insights. Registrations for the weekend are currently ongoing, with the festival expected to attract thousands of visitors to the Ikoyi venue over the two-day period. The partnership with the British Council underscores a broader commitment to fostering innovation and sustainable development within Nigeria’s vibrant creative sector.
