By Olawunmi Ashafa
Casablanca, Morocco – January 9, 2026
In a bold move to reshape the economic and cultural landscape of Africa’s creative sector, the initiative ORUN X Designers is launching with a mission to fundamentally transform craft value chains. According to Programme Director Mr. Anil Padia, the platform seeks to place African artisans—long relegated to the margins—at the very centre of production, innovation, and global market access.
Padia unveiled the vision during the Heirs of Greatness Day in Casablanca, an event marking the formal launch of ORUN X Designers, an initiative of the Africa Currency Network focused on strengthening the continent’s cultural and creative industries (CCIs).
Rooted in Origin, Focused on Dignity
The initiative’s philosophy is encapsulated in its name, derived from “ORUN,” a concept from Yoruba mythology meaning “origin.” This is not merely symbolic. [[PEAI_MEDIA_X]] Padia explains that it represents a core operational principle: “It is important for us to look at our roots, to understand what we have and how we can innovate from there. Everything we need is already on this continent.”
This approach aims to correct a long-standing imbalance. In traditional global supply chains, artisans often provide raw materials or basic labour, capturing only a minuscule fraction of the final product’s value. ORUN X Designers intends to invert this model. “Artisans should not remain at the bottom of the supply chain,” Padia asserts. “They must be the foundations of everything we are doing.”
Beyond GDP: Measuring Human and Cultural Value
While Africa’s CCIs are often cited for their underperformance in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contributions, Padia challenges this narrow metric. “GDP does not fully capture human value or quality of life,” he cautions. “The real question is whether economic growth benefits the people creating the products.”
The initiative responds to a powerful global consumer trend: a growing fatigue with standardised, mass-produced goods and a deep hunger for authenticity. “International and niche clients are seeking authenticity,” Padia notes, positioning African heritage-driven craftsmanship as a premium, meaningful alternative. [[PEAI_MEDIA_X]]
Transmitting Memory, Building Ecosystems
Padia articulates a profound view of craft that transcends mere commerce. “Creation with the hands carries memory, not just individual memory, but generational memory,” he says. Artisanal techniques are living repositories of knowledge, culture, and lived human experience—a value that is erased when makers are disconnected from their products in impersonal supply chains.
ORUN X Designers aims to close this gap by viewing the artisan, the creative process, and the final product as a single, interconnected ecosystem. The Heirs of Greatness Day event embodied this, celebrating not just craft, but the diverse knowledge systems and people behind them, with human dignity at its core.
A Holistic and Sustainable Model for the Future
The operational plan for ORUN X Designers is as thoughtful as its philosophy. The goal is to onboard at least 50 designers and artisans by 2030 through flexible engagement models:
- Enterprise Support: Bolstering independent creative businesses.
- Production Partnerships: Collaborating on specific product lines.
- In-House Development: Creating products within the ORUN ecosystem for its dedicated marketplace.
Selection will be based on holistic criteria assessing a creator’s economic, historical, and environmental impact within their community. “Our approach is holistic. We look at how creators affect their surroundings and how their work sustains value over time,” Padia explains.
Ultimately, ORUN X Designers represents a long-term, patient effort to build a new kind of creative economy. It’s one that connects the profound depth of African heritage to the dynamics of international markets without compromising the dignity, identity, or fair compensation of the creators. As Padia summarises: “This is about building value that lasts; culturally, economically and humanly.”
Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
