Nairobi Design Week 2026 concludes with over 75% Women-led Exhibits

Nairobi Design Week (NDW) 2026 concluded after a week-long festival that highlighted inclusive design and innovation. Held from March 7th to March 15th, the 11th edition of NDW championed the theme, Let's Be Human, by showcasing a commitment to design that fosters connection, sustainability, and community impact. In a powerful testament to the growing influence of women in the creative industries, 75% of the exhibits at Nairobi Design Week 2026 were either led by or involved women. Key women-founded brands presenting included Womencraft, Imani Collective, The Shaba, and Waridi Eyewear. The festival also spotlighted "Mums in Creative" with a conversation on Women's Day featuring Lulu Asili Kitololo and Nancy Cherwon. Beyond this, NDW championed emerging designers, who accounted for 84% of the exhibits, and also highlighted social impact and a focus on inclusion for people living with disabilities and displaced communities. "The Let’s Be Human theme reminds us that the person opposite us doesn't always know how we feel. Design can be the tool that helps us bridge that gap and understand ourselves better," said Adrian Jankowiak, Director & Founder at Nairobi Design. "To see women contributing to a majority of our exhibits fills me with immense pride. It reflects our core belief that human experience is the future of design, and that future is vibrantly shaped by diverse voices, especially women's." The festival featured a diverse array of international and regional talent, including Sarah Boris (UK), Taofeeqoh (Nigeria), Womencraft (Tanzania), Makani by Samah (Sudan), and Kenneth Kanaabi (Uganda) alongside the Kenyan exhibitors. This diversity underscored Nairobi's position as a burgeoning hub for design thought leadership and innovation across the continent. “Being part of Nairobi Design Week has been incredibly inspiring, and this year’s theme deeply aligns with our mission of creating with purpose and connecting people. It's rewarding to be among such a vibrant community of designers, particularly the many women driving design innovation across Africa,” said Lorenza Marzo - Director, Womencraft. “Imani Collective is a social enterprise and artisan design firm based in Mombasa, Kenya, working alongside local artisans to create thoughtful, handcrafted goods while building pathways to dignified employment and long-term opportunity. During Nairobi Design Week, we shared our Human Thread exhibition, highlighting the people, materials, and processes behind the work we create every day. By showcasing our material journey, the installation opened space for meaningful conversations around craft, community, responsible production, and the role artisans play in shaping the future of design,” Dr. Jenny Nuccio - Founder, Imani Collective. Nairobi Design Week has been an invaluable platform to demonstrate how design, at its core, can truly improve lives and foster inclusivity. As a women-founded brand, we're proud to be part of this vital conversation and push for human-centered solutions.” This year’s festival returned to a decentralized festival model, with events hosted across four distinct venues: Visit Ngara, Diba Studios (Baba Dogo), Alliance Française, and the German Cultural Institute in Nairobi (Goethe-Institut Nairobi). This strategic approach, reminiscent of NDW's foundational years, aimed to open the city up to people by spotlighting design in cultural and community locations, leveraging existing infrastructure and fostering deeper engagement within Nairobi's vibrant neighborhoods. NDW 2026 showcased a dynamic range of design, from a surge in forward-thinking sectors like biomaterials to a celebration of traditional handmade textiles. Complementing these diverse displays, the festival curated insightful panel discussions with leaders in design and the creative industry. Digital exhibits were also seamlessly integrated, utilizing a dedicated auditorium for screenings and offering interactive demo play tests of the 3D video game "Hiru," featuring a Maasai prince. “We are seeing extraordinary work being done collectively to create sustainable and resilient communities, and it's this human impact that truly defines the future of design. The sheer diversity of our exhibitors demonstrates an energy and critical need for such platforms, which we are committed to providing," added Adrian Jankowiak.