Nigeria’s Lagos Fashion Week has earned global recognition for its pioneering role in promoting sustainability in the fashion industry, after being named a finalist in the “Build a Waste-Free World” category of the prestigious 2025 Earthshot Prize, an international award founded by Prince William to spotlight transformative climate solutions.
The announcement, made this week, places Lagos Fashion Week among 15 global finalists whose work is reshaping industries and restoring the planet. The platform, founded in 2011 by Omoyemi Akerele, has long championed African creativity through ethical design, responsible sourcing, and circular innovation, transforming how the world perceives fashion from the continent.
Earthshot Prize
Since 2020, the initiative has hosted “Woven Threads,” a sustainability-focused showcase that explores regenerative craftsmanship, textile recycling, and slow fashion principles. Through this, Lagos Fashion Week has empowered designers and artisans to embrace eco-conscious practices while maintaining cultural authenticity.
According to the Earthshot Prize organizers, this year’s finalists “represent exceptional climate leadership across different countries and sectors.” Winners will be announced on November 5, 2025, at the Earthshot Awards in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where five winners will each receive £1 million to scale their impact.
Beyond the accolade, Lagos Fashion Week’s recognition underscores Africa’s growing influence in global sustainability conversations. The platform has opened international markets for African brands while training local creatives to adopt waste-free production models.
In Akerele’s words from a past interview, “Our goal is to make fashion not just beautiful, but meaningful, a force that sustains livelihoods and protects our planet.”
With this nomination, Lagos Fashion Week joins a global league of innovators driving the future of ethical fashion.
