The 2025 edition of the 100 Most Notable Peace Icons Africa (MNPIA) recently held in Kigali featured a vibrant fashion runway segment designed to promote cultural diplomacy and economic empowerment across Africa.
Organizers highlighted fashion as a dynamic force for peace, unity, and youth empowerment in the continent.
Ambassador Dr. Kingsley Amafibe, Project Director for Africa and author of African Fashion Designers and Lifestyle, said fashion expresses individual stories, beliefs, and ethnic identities, making it a vital aspect of African culture.
He noted that Africa’s fashion industry has grown into a multi-billion-dollar sector that provides employment and career opportunities to thousands of young people.
The fashion show brought together designers and customers from across the continent, fostering new avenues to drive peace and economic growth through creativity.
Ramalan Rotimi Buhari, Founder and CEO of RnR Global Emporium and a featured designer, emphasized how the event positioned African fashion at the intersection of design, peacebuilding, and sustainable development in the global creative economy.
Buhari’s modern luxury collection celebrated Nigerian cultural heritage by blending traditional motifs with contemporary fabrics and sustainable craftsmanship, with each piece telling a story of resilience and forward-thinking African identity.
Other designers who showcased their work included Promesse Byoseniyo of Promesse House and Elisa Niyogisubizo of Cunda Fashion House.
Morocco is set to host the 2026 edition of the MNPIA, continuing the tradition of combining cultural expression with peace advocacy through the creative industries.
The event underscored how African fashion is increasingly harnessed as a powerful tool not only for economic development but also for fostering continental unity and advancing cultural diplomacy.
