American singer and Grammy Award winner, Ciara Princess Wilson, joined Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on Friday to ring the closing gong, marking the official opening of Lagos Fashion Week 2025.
The international entertainer, who arrived in Lagos on Thursday for the four-day fashion event, expressed her excitement about being part of an initiative that celebrates African creativity and design. She also pledged to use her global platform to spotlight the city’s energy and growing fashion industry.
“I’m excited to have been enlisted in the mission to promote African fashion designs where I will be using my platform to showcase the beauty of Lagos,” Ciara said in a statement released by Gboyega Akosile, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
“This occasion is really special for me, because my heart always beats better whenever I am in Lagos,” she added. “I’ve seen the evolution of the city from when I landed at the airport to when I moved into the metropolis. This speaks so loudly about the growth and how the economy is flourishing.
“On the fashion side, this is exciting news for me because that is the way I express myself. To see the growth in the fashion space, I can’t describe how honoured I am to be part of this project.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied by members of the State Executive Council, commended the city’s designers and entrepreneurs for using innovation to expand Lagos’ influence globally.
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“Our administration is committed to supporting people who are curating an ecosystem that will push locally created brands to the global market,” the governor said.
He added that Lagos continues to lead Nigeria’s growth story. “Africa is the next continent that will drive the global economy in the next 30 years and on the continent, Nigeria is the one country that has the demographic advantage to lead this new economic growth.
“In Nigeria, there is a big city that speaks to everything about growth. It is called Lagos, which truly represents the entire dream of Nigeria and Africa. We are a people that have the demographic that will take the world to a level that cannot be imagined.”
Sanwo-Olu emphasized that Lagos Fashion Week represents more than just style — it is also a platform that promotes business, innovation, and investment.
“The Fashion Week speaks to both business and innovation, bringing to the forefront the best creatives that we have in Lagos,” he noted. “The event is leveraging fashion as a strong enabler and repository of knowledge. We are happy that the NGX has discovered the untapped potential in the market.”
He also revealed that the partnership between the Lagos State Government and the NGX aims to help fashion entrepreneurs scale their brands globally, assuring that his administration will continue to create policies that support the creative economy.
Also in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sanwo-Olu wrote: “We hosted creatives to a brunch at Lagos House, Marina, as part of the 15th Lagos Fashion Week celebrations. It was inspiring to share moments with designers, artists, and industry leaders who continue to put Lagos on the global fashion map.
“We were also delighted to have Ciara, singer and songwriter, join us. Her presence highlighted the growing global interest in Lagos as a hub of creativity and style.”