Ecobank Opens Adire Lagos in Grand Style With Over 100 Exhibitors

The annual Ecobank “Adire Lagos” exhibition kicked off in grand style, with over 100 exhibitors showcasing their wares. The four-day fair opened June 14th to 17th, 2024, at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) complex in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Originating from Abeokuta in Southwestern Nigeria, Adire Textile is an indigenous indigo-dyed cloth that uses different wax-resistant methods to create dazzling designs. The four-day Adire exhibition, returning for the third year in a row, promotes culture, tourism, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and enables them to benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Some international exhibitors at the fair include Adire Oodua, Tampoori, Jide Batik, Janae, Asologe and many others. 

The fair is set to witness an influx of top-flight exhibitors, government functionaries, culture enthusiasts, social media influencers, artists, local and foreign tourists, traditional rulers, and members of the diplomatic community. It provides an exceptional opportunity to network with entrepreneurs, shoppers, and everyone in the Adire business.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Executive Director of Commercial Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Kola Adeleke said the exhibition is part of the efforts of the bank to support the creative industry in the country, adding that it was also to promote micro-small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and help them benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He mentioned that we are part of a Pan-African bank that operates in 33 countries in Africa. We always aim to support various initiatives on the continent, and this Adire exhibition aligns with our goals. We have over 100 merchants showcasing their Adire products, making this the most extensive exhibition we’ve ever seen. It is an international exhibition, and our objective is to support, train, and help these merchants become international brands with indigenous backgrounds. We want to ensure that they can export their locally-created products across the continent, which is also a way to support the Nigerian economy.

Exhibitors and attendees alike were enthusiastic and full of commendation for Ecobank. Ecobank Nigeria, a key driver of tourism, culture, and the creative industries in Nigeria, recently hosted the +234Art, a 10-day art fair dedicated to nurturing and uplifting the burgeoning art industry in Nigeria. The fair provided a platform to support emerging artists and encourage increased interest in art acquisition; the bank organised the Photography, Art, and Design Exhibition (PADE) to commemorate World Photography Day in 2022; the bank also partnered “Songs & Stories” With Cobhams Asuquo;  Redbull Dance Your Style; BellaNaija Style Summit and Loosing Daylight (An exhibition of the history of Nollywood organised by Nse Ikpe-Etim)