Lagos Leather Fair Announces Call for Nomination for LLF2026 Awards

Lagos Leather Fair (LLF) has officially opened submissions for the highly anticipated LLF2026 Awards. 

“The LLF 2026 Awards represent far more than a celebration of talent; they are an intentional platform to recognise excellence and inspire and encourage innovation within the industry,” said Femi Olayebi, founder of Lagos Leather Fair. “Through these awards, we continue to honour designers and brands whose work demonstrates exceptional creativity, craftsmanship, consistency, innovation, and contribution to the growth of the ecosystem. By spotlighting excellence, we hope to encourage higher standards, celebrate authentic African design, promote ethical and responsible production practices, and create visibility for the amazing talent across the continent. We invite both emerging voices and established brands across Nigeria and Africa to step forward and be recognised for the impact of their work.”

Why Enter the LLF2026 Awards

• Brand Recognition: Celebrate and recognise the dedication, creativity, craftsmanship, and hard work behind your brand. The awards provide a platform to honour your contributions to the industry while reinforcing a culture of excellence and innovation. 
• Industry Recognition: Be evaluated alongside leading designers, brands, and innovators within the leather ecosystem. Being shortlisted or winning signifies true excellence and positions your work among the best in the industry.
• Relevance: The LLF Awards serve as a celebration of excellence, recognising the unique journeys, creativity, and impact of individuals and brands within the ecosystem and providing a meaningful opportunity to showcase achievements, gain visibility, and be honoured among industry peers. 
• Accessibility: Entries for the Lagos Leather Fair Awards are open and accessible, encouraging participation from emerging and established brands across the leather value chain.

Award Categories

• Men’s Footwear Brand of the Year

This award recognises a men’s footwear brand that has demonstrated excellence in design, craftsmanship, and market presence. It celebrates brands that consistently deliver high-quality products while maintaining strong brand identity and customer appeal.

• Women’s Footwear Brand of the Year Award

This award honours a women’s footwear brand that stands out for its creativity, quality, and innovation. It acknowledges brands that have successfully combined style, functionality, and craftsmanship to meet the evolving needs of their audience.

• Excellence in Artisanal Craftsmanship Award

This award honours a leather designer or brand that exemplifies outstanding skill, attention to detail, and mastery in craftsmanship. It celebrates dedication to traditional techniques and the preservation of artisanal excellence in leather production.

• Handbag Designer of the Year Award

This award recognises a designer who has shown exceptional creativity and craftsmanship in handbag design. It celebrates originality, quality, and the ability to create distinctive pieces that resonate with both local and global markets.

• Best Use of Social Media Award

This award acknowledges a brand that has effectively leveraged social media to build visibility, engage audiences, and drive brand growth. It celebrates creativity, consistency, and impactful digital storytelling within the leather space.

• Emerging Leather Designer of the Year Award

This award recognises a rising talent who has shown remarkable potential, creativity, and growth within the leather industry. It celebrates new voices shaping the future of leather design through innovation and fresh perspectives.

• Brand of the Year Award 

This award acknowledges a leather brand that has demonstrated excellence across its products, services, and overall brand experience. It celebrates consistency in quality, strong market perfomance, and a commitment to inovation, style, and customer satisfaction.

• Leather Changemaker Award

This award honours an individual or brand driving meaningful impact within the leather ecosystem. It recognises those who are shaping the industry through innovation, leadership, community development, or transformative initiatives.

• The Signature Piece Challenge Award

This award recognises the most outstanding participant in the Signature Piece Challenge. It celebrates creativity, originality, and the ability to translate concept into a well-executed leather piece through the program.

• Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award

This award honours a brand or initiative that has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainable practices within the leather industry. It celebrates efforts in ethical sourcing, responsible production, and environmental consciousness.

Key Eligibility Requirements

Prospective nominees must fulfil the following criteria to qualify for review:

• The nominee must be a practising leather designer with at least five years of experience in the industry.
• The nominee must be of African descent.
• The nominee must have demonstrated exceptional talent, creativity, and innovation in the design and production of leather goods.
• The nominee’s work must exhibit high-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail.
• The nominee must use environmentally sustainable materials and production practices wherever possible.
• The nominee must be willing to participate in promotional activities related to the award, such as media interviews, photo shoots, and public appearances.
• The nominee’s business name must be registered with the CAC

 

 

THE JUDGING PROCESS

• The LLF Awards will have a two-stage judging process. In the first round, you MUST answer all of the questions on the entry form to be shortlisted.
• The shortlist will then be deliberated over by our carefully selected panel of industry judges before the awards day.
• All judges will sign a non-disclosure agreement. The final decision on winners is made by secret ballot, and no judge leaves the room knowing which brands have won.
• The judging process will ensure that the fairest and most robust way of deciding the winners of these important industry awards is maintained through transparency, credibility, and careful evaluation.

 

LLF2026 Awards Nomination

 

About Lagos Leather Fair

In 2017, Lagos Leather Fair (LLF) was launched as Nigeria’s first dedicated platform focused exclusively in the leather industry. Founded by Femi Olayebi, a premium leather goods designer based in Ibadan, Nigeria, LLF was born out of both frustration and possibility – frustration with the structural gaps holding the industry back, and belief in the immense, untapped potential of the Nigerian leather ecosystem.

At the time, industry projections suggested that Nigeria’s leather sector could generate up to one million USD by 2025. Yet the pathway to that growth was unclear. The industry was burdened by misconceptions, limited public awareness, fragmented supply chains, and the absence of a unifying platform to spotlight its talent and capacity.

Across the value chain – from raw material sourcing to design and finished products – creatives faced systemic barriers to visibility, scale, and global competitiveness.

LLF was created to change that narrative. More than an event, it became a convening force – bringing together designers, manufacturers, suppliers, policymakers, and investors under one roof. By highlighting both the challenges and opportunities within the sector, LLF set out to bridge gaps, strengthen linkages, and position Nigerian and African leather as a competitive force on the global stage.