Desire Uzochukwu
Abia State is seeking to put Aba on the global fashion map, with plans to secure UNESCO Creative Cities Network recognition for the commercial hub as preparations gather momentum for the 2026 Aba Fashion Week.
The state government says the proposed recognition could boost Aba’s international profile, attract investment and open new markets for its fashion designers, garment makers and creative entrepreneurs.
The Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Mr Matthew Ekwuribe, disclosed this at a press conference in Umuahia, where he said a federal delegation was expected to visit selected facilities in Aba to assess the city’s creative potential.
The initiative coincides with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Abia State Government and Aba Fashion Week organisers to strengthen collaboration in fashion, entrepreneurship and the creative economy.
Ekwuribe said the government was exploring opportunities to showcase Abia’s creative industry in Lagos and Paris as part of efforts to connect local talents with international audiences and markets.
UNESCO Creative Cities Network recognition, he noted, could create fresh opportunities for collaboration, investment and global visibility for Aba’s fashion industry.
Founder of Aba Fashion Week, Mr Ugomdi Ogbonna, said the partnership would help local designers and manufacturers reach wider markets and improve the city’s competitiveness in the global fashion industry.
The sixth edition of Aba Fashion Week, scheduled for November 24 to 27, 2026, will feature a trade fair, street fashion exhibition, masterclass and grand finale runway show.
Ogbonna said the programme would go beyond displaying designs to equip participants with practical business skills needed to compete in an increasingly digital and competitive fashion market.
The masterclass, he added, would be free and designed to accommodate more than 5,000 participants, with training covering merchandising, digital marketing and entrepreneurship.
The organisers said the event would build on Aba’s longstanding garment-making heritage while creating opportunities for local designers to showcase their work and expand their businesses.
With the UNESCO recognition bid and the government’s partnership with the fashion industry, Abia is seeking to transform Aba’s reputation as a manufacturing and commercial centre into a stronger international identity as a fashion destination.
The ambition is to ensure that the city’s fashion industry does not only make clothes for local markets but also gains wider recognition and access to global business opportunities.
