Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland, has unveiled the Adire Hub as part of efforts to strengthen the production, promotion and global marketing of the centuries-old indigenous textile, positioning adire businesses for greater access to international markets. Oba Gbadebo performed the hub’s opening ceremony recently at the Ake Palace in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The Adire Hub initiative is being promoted by Global Adire Egba Development Limited in collaboration with ICLED Business School, Lagos.
According to the organisers of the event, the Adire Hub is designed to provide training, skills development and access to financing for Adire artisans and businesses. Olajumoke Familoni, a professor of entrepreneurship and management/ project coordinator, speaking during the opening of the hub, said the facility would train and upskill Adire producers to enable them to compete effectively in both local and international markets.
Familoni, who is also the president of ICLED Business School, further explained that the hub formed part of the proposed Adire Village project. “The initiative was necessary because many local producers lacked the skills, financing and capacity required to compete in the global textile market. “We are trying to open up the hub. Adire Hub is a part of the proposed Adire Village.
The hub right now is to educate and upskill the Adire producers so that they can partake in the domestic and international market,” she said. Familoni said the programme would expose producers to various financing opportunities while equipping them with the skills needed to improve the quality and competitiveness of their products.
She said the Nigerian Adire market was worth more than $1 billion, while the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provided access to a market of about 1.4 billion consumers.