By Chris Onuoha

In a bid to internationalize the activities of designers in Africa, the International Federation of Interior Designers and Architects (IFI) in conjunction with The Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) have conclude arrangements to host the 2017 edition of IFI World Design Congress and its 28th General Assembly coming up November 9 – 12, 2017 in Lagos.

IDAN, which is the professional body for Interior Designers and related industry support in Nigeria, won the bid to host the event at the 2015 General Assembly decided in Gwangju, South Korea.

The festival themed: “THIS IS AFRICA” will be a celebration of 100 years of African Art and Design and also marking a celebration of Traditional African Arts, Modern and Contemporary Art and African Design, curated by renowned African curators, Kunle Adeyemi, Bisi Silva with Ronke Ashaye, the curator at the Nation Museum. It will also bring together top Interior Designers and Architects from round the globe to Lagos for the congress which provides platform for artists and designers to redefine the narrative surrounding African creative talents.

At a press conference held recently in Lagos, Sabastiano Raneri, President, IFI, explained that the body decided to hold the event in Africa with Nigeria as host because of the great input IDAN has had on interior design world in Nigeria. He further noted that IFI is designed to identify and add value to the world of interior design as a profession, and for the IFI General Assembly to hold its congress in Nigeria shows the body has great believe in the development of the Nigerian environment.

Also speaking at the conference, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, vice president, IDAN, said the congress would offer the IFI members opportunity to see for themselves, the rich culture of Nigeria. She also said the congress will offer Africa a platform to tell the narrative about the continent and showcase the opportunities and talents in arts and design in Africa.

Ighodalo expressed happiness that Nigeria is privileged to host the congress, considering the fact that the Interior and Design Industry is still young in the country.
“We are thrilled to be the host country of this congress considering that the interior and design industry is still young in Nigeria”, Ighodalo said.

Ekuah Abudu, chairman, Board of Trustees of IDAN, explained that the association comprising a group of people; designers, industry representatives among others, are all committed to interior design as IDAN is designed to stimulate and promote professionalism in the practice.
She unveiled IDAN’s intention to establish a training institute in Nigeria to deliver high-value business tools and address issues that affect practitioners.

The topic for this year IFI congress will be: ”World Class Design in Regional Market: Interior Architectural Design for The Future; Total Human Space.”

“The intention of the topic is to connect business to design about developing economy for Nigeria and Africa”, Shashi Caan, representative of the IFI secretariat, remarked.

Special guest of honours expected to make appearance at the congress include Yemi Osinbajo, vice president, Akinwumi Ambode, Lagos State Governor, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, Jeffery Onyema, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Okey Enelamah, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.

The IFI was founded in 1963 as the sole global voice and authority for the Interior profession. Its mission is to expand internationally, the contribution of the Interior Architecture and Design profession to society through the exchange and development of knowledge and experience in education, research and practice, as well as, fellowship and community.

The body exists to promote, advance, advocate and help to establish superior levels of excellence for Interior Architecture and Design worldwide. IFI also stands to build consensus and community for Interior Architecture and Interior Design. IFI is located close to the UN headquarters in New York City. It represents and reaches out to about one hundred and twenty nations elevating standards for over 270,000 designers, educators and industry stakeholders, as well as its governmental, promotional and institutional constituencies.