Lagos Moves to Take Indigenous Crafts to Global Market

By Peter Emmanuel |

The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting indigenous crafts, particularly Adire, as part of efforts to strengthen tourism, cultural preservation and the state’s creative economy.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, made this known on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, during a visit to the Adire Market in Itire, Surulere Local Government Area.

Aregbe was accompanied by the Chairman of Itire-Ikate LCDA, Femi Odunayo; Brand Consultant and Creative Director, Bolaji Animashaun; supervisors for tourism across various LCDAs; directors of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture; market leaders and other stakeholders.

The visit provided an opportunity for government officials and stakeholders to assess activities at the market and discuss the opportunities and challenges affecting traders and artisans in the Adire business.

The state government said the engagement was part of its efforts to preserve and promote traditional crafts while creating opportunities for practitioners to reach wider markets.

Lagos Targets Wider Market for Indigenous Crafts

Speaking during the visit, Aregbe said the government was committed to positioning Lagos as a leading destination for creative and cultural tourism under Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Development Agenda.

He described traditional markets such as the Adire Market in Itire as living heritage sites with the potential to attract both local and international visitors when properly structured and incorporated into the state’s tourism circuit.

“Adire is not just fabric; it is identity. It is one of the clearest expressions of who we are as a people, and it deserves to be treated as the cultural and economic asset that it is,” Aregbe said.

He said the government would continue to engage traders and artisans to understand their needs and identify ways of creating an environment that would enable their products to reach wider markets.

According to him, the aim is to support the growth of indigenous crafts beyond their immediate communities and create stronger connections between artisans, the tourism sector and potential markets.

Government Seeks Better Support for Artisans

Aregbe said the government’s role was to work with traders and artisans rather than operate separately from them, stressing the need for direct engagement with practitioners.

“Our role as government is to walk this journey with the traders, to listen to what they need and to build the structures that allow their craft to travel further than this market, further than Lagos, and further than Nigeria,” he said.

He commended the resilience and craftsmanship of the Adire traders and artisans, particularly their ability to sustain their businesses despite challenges relating to infrastructure and the wider informal business environment.

The Special Adviser assured the traders that the Ministry would continue to support them through improved market infrastructure and capacity-building programmes.

He also said stronger connections with tourism promotion channels would help improve the visibility of Adire and other indigenous crafts while creating more opportunities for the people involved in their production and sale.

The engagement also allowed traders, artisans and other stakeholders to raise issues affecting the market and discuss possible areas of collaboration with government officials.

Lagos Positions Adire for Global Tourism Market

The Lagos State Government said it would continue to explore ways of integrating indigenous crafts into its tourism programmes as part of efforts to attract visitors and expand opportunities within the creative economy.

Adire, a traditional textile art associated with the Yoruba people, has long served as both a cultural expression and a source of income for artisans and traders.

The government said its efforts would focus on preserving the cultural value of Adire while supporting its development as a viable economic activity, particularly for women and young people working in the informal creative sector.

Aregbe said stronger promotion of the craft could help create links between local producers and markets outside Lagos and Nigeria.

The visit formed part of the state government’s wider efforts to use its cultural heritage and creative talent to support tourism development, create economic opportunities and strengthen Lagos’ position in the global creative and cultural space.

The government is expected to continue its engagement with market leaders, artisans and other stakeholders as it works towards improving the conditions for indigenous craft production and expanding the reach of Lagos’ cultural products.