AFAA Appoints Ashley Erinne as Brand, Industry Relations Director

Esther Oluku

The African Fashion and Arts Awards (AFAA) has announced the appointment of Ashley Adaobi Erinne as its new Brand and Industry Relations Director, a move the organisation says will strengthen its engagement with Africa’s fashion, creative and lifestyle communities ahead of the 2026 edition of the awards in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The appointment comes as AFAA expands its activities beyond its annual awards platform, with renewed focus on building stronger relationships between African creatives, brands, media, audiences and international markets.

A key responsibility of the new Brand Relations Director will be to lead the development and delivery of UMOJA by AFAA, the organisation’s flagship magazine covering Fashion, Art, Royalty, Lifestyle, Culture and Tourism.

With a background in fashion, styling, social media and fashion media, Ashley brings to the role, her experience of active presence within the fashion and digital media space and a strong understanding of contemporary fashion culture.

Her appointment is expected to play an important role in positioning UMOJA as more than an event publication, with ambitions to develop it into a platform that tells African stories, celebrates creative excellence and connects African talent with wider global audiences.

Speaking on the appointment, Founder and Executive Director of AFAA, Kingsley Amako, said the decision reflects the organisation’s intention to build a stronger and more professionally positioned creative ecosystem around AFAA.

“We are entering an important new phase for AFAA. Our vision is bigger than an annual awards ceremony. AFAA is celebrating her 6th anniversary and we want to build platforms that continuously create visibility, relationships and opportunities for African creatives.

“UMOJA is particularly important to us because it gives us an opportunity to tell the African story through fashion, art, culture, lifestyle and tourism. We believe Ashley as a fashionista, has the passion which is one of the most important qualities of anyone hoping to succeed in the creative economy. We also believe that she has the creative instinct, and would bring the GenZ industry understanding and relationship-building capacity required to help us take this vision forward,” Amako said.

For Ashley, the appointment represents an opportunity to contribute to the growth of African fashion and creative storytelling from a broader perspective.

“UMOJA presents an exciting opportunity to tell stories that deserve to be seen, while connecting creatives, brands and audiences across Africa and beyond. I am excited about what we can build with AFAA and the possibilities that lie ahead,” she said.

The appointment comes at a significant time for AFAA as preparations intensify for AFAA 2026, scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from November 6–8, 2026, under the theme “Africa Without Borders – Unifying Creativity, Unlocking Opportunities.”

The 2026 edition is expected to bring together fashion designers, artists, award nominees and recipients, exhibitors, creative industry professionals, delegates and visitors from across Africa and beyond.

With the addition of UMOJA to its growing ecosystem, AFAA says it is positioning itself not only as an awards platform, but as a broader creative economy initiative connecting fashion, art, culture, tourism, media and business.

The organisation is currently preparing for the launch of the first major edition of UMOJA by AFAA, with the new Brand Relations Director expected to lead key relationships and creative collaborations surrounding the publication.