Aba Fashion Week targets wealth creation for designers

Partners Risevest, Hisa

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By Chinenye Anuforo

Aba Fashion Week has stepped up efforts to transform the city’s fashion industry from a hub of local craftsmanship into a stronger business and investment ecosystem, partnering with investment platforms Risevest and Hisa to equip designers with financial and business management skills.

The partnership, ahead of the sixth edition of the event scheduled for November 25 to 27, 2026, is expected to deepen conversations around access to capital, investment opportunities and sustainable business growth in Nigeria’s creative industry.

Under the theme “Craft to Capital”, the three-day event seeks to address the business realities facing fashion entrepreneurs, particularly the challenge of converting creative talent and growing demand into sustainable wealth.

A major highlight of the partnership will be a masterclass scheduled for November 26, where designers and other creative entrepreneurs will engage in discussions on financial literacy, investment decisions, cash flow management and strategies for building profitable businesses.

The Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Aba Fashion Week, Chinyere Akataobi, said the collaboration was part of efforts to expand the event’s impact beyond fashion exhibitions and runway showcases.

“Aba Fashion Week is about more than showcasing creativity. We want to help build an ecosystem where creative talent can translate into viable businesses, attract investment and contribute meaningfully to economic growth. Partnerships with organisations such as Risevest and Hisa help us bring these conversations closer to the people who need them,” she said.

For many fashion entrepreneurs, business expansion comes with financial pressures, including the need to purchase fabrics in bulk, pay workers, manage production costs and meet large orders before customers complete payments.

A representative of Risevest and Hisa said the masterclass would address these challenges, helping designers understand how to manage business cash flow, reinvest profits and assess investment opportunities outside their core businesses.

“A bigger order can mean paying for more fabric and labour before the customer pays in full. At the Aba Fashion Week masterclass, we’ll talk about how designers can manage cash as they grow, decide what to put back into the business, and weigh the costs and risks of investing beyond it,” the representative said.

The representative added that RiseBusiness provides businesses with tools to grow surplus funds, pay suppliers in multiple currencies, collect payments and manage multicurrency accounts, while Hisa and Risevest offer additional financial and investment solutions.

The partnership reflects growing recognition that the development of Nigeria’s creative economy requires more than talent and market visibility. Access to finance, sound business management, investment knowledge and the capacity to scale are also critical to building sustainable enterprises.

Aba, widely recognised for its manufacturing and commercial activities, has a long-standing reputation for fashion production, garment-making and indigenous craftsmanship. The organisers believe the event can help connect this existing industrial strength with wider investment and business opportunities.

The 2026 edition will feature runway showcases, masterclasses, networking sessions and other activities designed to connect designers, investors, businesses, policymakers and stakeholders across the creative industry.

The event is being held in collaboration with the Abia State Government, through the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy.

As Aba Fashion Week marks its sixth edition, its organisers are seeking to reposition fashion not just as an expression of creativity but as a viable economic sector capable of generating wealth, supporting businesses and creating opportunities for growth.