Meet Titi Ogufere: Championing African Design on the Global Stage

Titi Ogufere, a visionary based in Lagos and founder of Design Week Lagos. She is the first African president of the International Federation of Interior Architects and Designers.

Her work transcends aesthetics, rooted in a belief that design can drive societal and economic transformation.

“We Africans have a rich cultural identity yet to be fully showcased globally,” Ogufere told CNN. “Design is a tool for change, and my goal is to see African products in stores worldwide.”

From her Lagos office, she leads Essential Media Group, which includes Essential Interiors Magazine, the Netflix series Made by Design, and the annual Design Week Lagos – platforms that promote African design internationally.

Ogufere envisions an African industrial revolution driven by authentic, tech-enhanced craftsmanship. “Africa has the raw materials and talent,” she says.

“We must harness them to create original, exportable designs that honor our heritage and meet modern demands.”

In 2007, she founded the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria and has authored 27 publications, including Vernacular Design and This is Africa. Recently, she launched Nigeria’s Design and Innovation Hub, a collaborative space connecting designers, artisans, and manufacturers.

“It’s an ecosystem for interior and product innovation,” Ogufere explains. “We need a manufacturing hub to produce authentic African designs for global markets.”

At April’s Lagos Homecoming Festival, she showcased Nigerian-made steel furniture, hand-dyed textiles, and marble pieces – demonstrating Africa’s creative potential on the world stage.