MADE IN ABIA | UNGA 2026

​Made in Abia is a global showcase of Abia's enterprise, creativity and culture, staged on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

​At its center is Akwete — handwoven for generations by the women of Ukwa East, and held today in collections as far as the British Museum and the Smithsonian. Yet it remains a household craft with no legal shield and limited capacity to meet the demand its reputation could command, at the exact moment new technology makes copying it easier than ever. Made in Abia opens that conversation: what it takes to protect a living tradition, build it into a business that can scale, and put it in front of the people who can help carry it there.

​The day brings that conversation to the stage — panel discussions probing what ownership means for a craft like this and what it takes to compete globally — and to the runway, where Akwete comes to life in a fashion show, before opening into the Invest in Abia Deal Room, a first meeting point for Akwete and the investors, buyers and partners who could shape what it becomes next.

​September 26, 2026 | New York, USA

​Organised by Black History and Lifestyle Awards and 234Finance, powered by the Abia State Government.

​Register now to attend Made in Abia at UNGA!