IDAN Inaugurates New Executive Council

… Promises New Dawn for Nigeria Design Industry

The Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) held it’s 6th inauguration of the National Executive Council with Jacqueline Aki emerging as President.

The hand over ceremony which held in Lagos announced a new era for interior design in Nigeria and will pilot a Flagship Impact Initiative which will be a design-led intervention aimed at demonstrating the human and societal value of interior design in real-world settings; improving regional engagement by way of including digital onboarding tools, localized support more opportunities for member participation.

According to Aki, “Being a member of IDAN is an affiliation and a professional anchor,” expressing that members can expect access to mentorship, career development and global exposure through curated partner events.

Meanwhile the Chairman Board of Trustees, Mrs. Ekua Abudu while extolling the new direction of leadership said:

“Jacqueline Aki’s presidency is a catalyst for change, poised to bring IDAN’s vision to life by fostering an ecosystem where design thrives on innovation, diversity, and sustainability.”

These initiatives are foundational to IDAN’s mission to establish Nigeria as a pivotal player in the global design community, driving economic growth and cultural exchange while setting a benchmark for sustainable practices.

Moving further the interior design expert iterated that though the newly elected National Executive Council is currently composed of women, “inclusivity remains a guiding principle,” assuring the audience that committee selections and volunteer roles will reflect a diverse and balanced representation of the profession.

“We are building something intentional. This is a legacy move that is rooted in
collaboration, culture, and clarity,” she stressed

While thriving on continuous learning through webinars, CPD programs and masterclasses members can be well represented in policy conversations and industry-shaping forums consequently developing a peer network that supports and collaborates across levels, specialties and regions

Delivering a dynamic agenda for the Nigerian design space the Managing Partner James Cubitt Interiors Aki, stresses elevating the Nigerian interior design sector onto a global platform, alongside fostering local growth through three foundational pillars of structure, visibility and advocacy.

Through structural reforms the association will strengthen its internal systems with clearer membership pathways, robust capacity-building programs, and improved member support across regions.

Following it’s visibility strategy, IDAN will amplify the profession’s voice through purposeful storytelling, strategic engagements, and enhanced media presence. While it’s advocacy efforts will include collaborating with educators, regulators, and allied professionals to shape standards, expand design education, and influence national development agenda.

Building from these pillars, Aki’s administration will immediately focus on clarifying Membership Pathways through introducing revised categories and progression routes for decorators, designers and firms at all stages.

In a related statement the Founder of IDAN, Titi Ogufere while highlighting the stride of the association towards governance highlights:

“We are trying to push for a bill for interiors we have set up an institute which will be launched called Institute for Professional Designers and Product Inventors.

“This Institute is meant to regulate the industry so that the general public can be informed to see who are certified designers and who are the quacks

“Education is the first stage and even helps the institution to know the right kind of curriculum.”

Allaying the fears of the erroneous belief that interior design is for the elite class Ogufere admits a lot of the designers are focused more on high end product delivery. “We had an exhibition not too long, we had a lot of talented people but the things were expensive.

“So one of the things we have encouraged the designers is we have an incubator program.”

The incubator program will put a ceiling on interior designers’ products.