The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, on Wednesday, 9th September 2026, visited the Adire Market in Itire, Surulere Local Government Area, as part of the State Government’s efforts to strengthen indigenous crafts and textile production as key pillars of Lagos’ tourism and creative economy.
He was joined by the Chairman of Itire-Ikate LCDA, Hon. Femi Odunayo; Brand Consultant and Creative Director, Bolaji Animashaun; Supervisors for Tourism across various LCDAs; Directors of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture; market leaders; and other key stakeholders.
The visit provided an opportunity for the Special Adviser, traders, artisans and officials of the Ministry to assess activities within the market and engage directly with practitioners on the opportunities and challenges affecting the growth of the Adire trade.
The inspection aligns with the Lagos State Government’s broader strategy to preserve, promote and modernise Adire, a traditional textile art indigenous to the Yoruba people, while positioning it as both a cultural heritage asset and a viable source of economic empowerment, especially for women and young people in the informal creative sector.
Speaking during the visit, Mr. Aregbe reaffirmed the administration’s commitment, under Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Development Agenda, to position Lagos as Africa’s foremost destination for creative and cultural tourism.
He noted that traditional markets such as the Adire Market in Itire represent living heritage sites with significant potential to attract local and international visitors when properly structured, promoted and integrated into the State’s tourism circuit.
“Adire is not just fabric; it is identity. It is one of the clearest expressions of who we are as a people, and it deserves to be treated as the cultural and economic asset that it is,” Aregbe said.
He added that the government’s responsibility is to work closely with traders and artisans by understanding their needs and creating an enabling environment for their craft to reach wider markets.
“Our role as government is to walk this journey with the traders, to listen to what they need and to build the structures that allow their craft to travel further than this market, further than Lagos, and further than Nigeria,” he said.
The Special Adviser commended the resilience, creativity and craftsmanship of Adire traders and artisans, describing their continued commitment despite infrastructural challenges as a testament to the strength and potential of Lagos’ informal creative economy.
He assured the traders of the Ministry’s continued support through improved market infrastructure, capacity building, and stronger linkages with tourism promotion channels aimed at expanding the visibility and market reach of Adire beyond Lagos and Nigeria.
The visit underscores the Lagos State Government’s commitment to leveraging the State’s rich cultural heritage, indigenous crafts and creative talent to drive tourism development, create economic opportunities, and further strengthen Lagos’ position as a leading global creative and cultural destination.
