For three days, Cotonou becomes the capital of African furniture. For its inaugural edition, the African Furniture Fair brings together around thirty exhibitors from Africa and Europe. Under the guidance of Noël Wallabregue, its General Commissioner, the fair aims to go beyond a mere exhibition to become a platform for innovation, dialogue, and economic cooperation.
A Mosaic of Exhibitors Between Heritage and Modernity
SMOB 2025 offers a rich panorama where master artisans, established designers, and emerging creators converge.
Among the major trends showcased, sustainability takes center stage. Facing environmental challenges, a new generation of African designers is embracing durability at the heart of their creative process. In Benin, Atelier Köri gives discarded wood and metal a second life by turning them into contemporary furniture with a raw, poetic spirit. The same ethos guides Ghana’s Tetteh Glass Blowing, West Africa’s only glass-blowing company, which transforms bottles and screens into refined decorative objects. Malian designer Cheikh Diallo, a leading figure in African design, continues from Bamako to explore recycled materials—tires, fishing line, metal—in a practice where constraint becomes a source of beauty.
Another strong trend among the exhibitors is the valorization of craftsmanship and traditional materials. Beninese workshops such as Encadrement Design and DF Concept uphold the excellence of wood and fine materials. In Ghana, Tekura and Sole Inspiration reinterpret ancestral techniques—sculpture, leatherwork, weaving—into contemporary pieces that carry the continent’s memory. Ivorian designer Jean Servais Somian epitomizes the fusion between tradition and modernity: his furniture carved from coconut wood, his signature material, combines contemporary aesthetics with respect for origins. The Beninese gallery Kouleurs d’Afrique follows the same path, assembling works from fourteen countries to celebrate the diversity of the continent’s skills and materials.
At the same time, a more avant-garde movement is emerging. Young talents such as Beninese architect Larry Tchogninou, based in Chicago, and artists Edward Ofosu and Kortey Botchway, explore hybrid territories where digital art, experimental design, and identity-driven storytelling intersect.
By bringing these voices and visions together, SMOB turns Cotonou into a laboratory of creative Africa—conscious of its roots and proud to project them into the future.
Innovation Serving Responsible Design
SMOB 2025 marks a decisive moment for West Africa by placing innovation at the core of the creative process. 3D printing workshops, eco-innovative materials, demonstrations of digital design, and the digitalization of artisanal techniques all illustrate the transformation of a sector still largely informal. Companies like Kuizina (custom 3D furniture) and Origin (merging digital imagery and woodcraft) put technology to work for sustainability and the personalization of interior spaces. The Africa Design School, a strategic partner of the fair, trains young designers at the intersection of social innovation and green technologies.
Far from opposing modernity and tradition, this approach unites them to modernize local production, reduce costs, enhance competitiveness, and promote African know-how on the global stage.
A Socio-Economic Lever for the Continent
More than a fair, SMOB asserts itself as a driving force for economic structuring. With rapid growth, Africa’s furniture market could reach $10 billion by 2030. In this context, the fair aims to strengthen the African furniture industry and boost trade between Africa and Europe.
Nearly 5,000 professional visitors are expected, generating significant economic impact. According to projections, SMOB could help create 50,000 direct and indirect jobs over the next decade, fostering the rise of a formal, competitive, and sustainable sector. The inclusion of women and youth—prominent among exhibitors and project leaders—is a top priority, along with promoting circular economy practices and sustainable production models.
The launch of the White Paper on African Design at the close of the event will reinforce this ambition. As a reference document, it will offer a roadmap for sustainable industry development built around training, innovation, and creative entrepreneurship. By elevating strategic thinking to the same level as artistic creation, SMOB reaffirms its mission: to become the catalyst of a competitive, inclusive, and responsible African design ecosystem.
