About IDAN / Our story
Our story
From a meeting in Lagos in 2007 to a national profession with a global voice. Nineteen years of members, presidents and partners who built the standard.
Foundation
The profession finds its voice
IDAN is founded
Titi Ogufere calls the first Board of Trustees together to form a national association for the profession. The founding board: Ekua Abudu, Munirat Shonibare, Anselm Tabansi, Moni Fagbemi, Sarah Daniel and Mathew Eshalomi. Munirat Shonibare becomes the first president.
The inauguration
250 practitioners and industry partners gather at the Civic Centre, Lagos, chaired by Shrikant Nivasarkar, then President of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI).
A home, a delegation, a chapter
A first delegation attends the IFI General Assembly and World Design Congress in Dubai. IDAN opens its first headquarters at 14 Lewis Street, Onikan, and establishes the Abuja chapter with Ken Ubah.
Joining the world stage
IDAN becomes an associate member of the IFI and, with Professor John Godwin, begins the drive to bring an interior design curriculum to the University of Lagos.
The first book and the first exhibition
Interior Design in Nigeria, a coffee table book showcasing members, is launched with Essential Interiors magazine. The first exhibition opens at Omenka Gallery. Anselm Tabansi becomes the second president.
First nation to sign the IFI Declaration
Vice President Namadi Sambo signs for Nigeria before the IFI board from nine countries. IDAN's founder is invited to sit on the IFI Board representing Africa.
World Interiors Day and a curriculum committee
The first World Interiors Day is marked with the GUIDE exhibition. A health and safety seminar runs with the Lagos State Safety Commission, and an Education Committee begins shaping a national curriculum. Debola Omooba and Ken Ubah join as trustees.
Growth
Structure, standards and reach
A curriculum delivered
Ekua Abudu chairs the Board of Trustees and Titi Ogufere becomes the third president. The finished curriculum is handed to the University of Lagos.
Abuja gathers
The founder comes to Abuja and meets three registered members and about twenty interested designers to share the vision for the FCT chapter.
CPD and the CEO Roundtable
IDAN launches a Continuing Professional Development programme and a quarterly CEO Roundtable.
First events in the capital
The founder introduces Abuja members to Ken Ubah of the Board of Trustees, who helps them stage their first event at Paris Choice Hotel and then at Sunmerset Hotel, with the help of Innocent Ekpanum.
Hosting the world
IDAN wins the bid to host the IFI World Design Congress, with Ifeayinwa Ighodalo as chair.
Momentum builds
Committed members and partners meet often to move the chapter forward. Eva Oamen, based in Abuja, is appointed National Assistant Secretary General.
African Culture and Design Festival
Lagos welcomes 88 nations for the festival, held with the IFI Congress and attended by the Vice President of Nigeria. Titi Ogufere is voted IFI president-elect.
A first chapter chair
Growth stalls without structure. The founder returns to Abuja with a representative of the Board of Trustees and appoints Lape Saleh as the first Abuja Chapter chair.
The first election
Omon Anenih Mordi becomes the fourth president. Ifeayinwa Ighodalo, Kaine Dosekun and Tola Akerele join the trustees.
A surge in membership
Abuja membership grows quickly under the new chair and her executive. The chapter works with industry partners and government to build a design community, and Abuja designer Freda Anegbe is elected National Assistant Secretary General.
Six years, one degree
The University of Lagos senate approves the degree curriculum IDAN developed. The first GUIDE for Business is held.
A stronger voice for Abuja
The capital's design community asks for more depth in professionalism, representation and policy, and closer ties with the national body. Habiba Waziri steadies the chapter as interim chair through COVID-19 and the second national elections, which make Freda Anegbe National Vice President.
Global voice
An African first
A first for Africa
Titi Ogufere is inaugurated in Dubai as the 21st IFI president, the first of African descent. Nigeria hosts 28 countries and over 1,000 designers at the first IFI African Regional Roundtable with Design Week Lagos.
A permanent home
Jenifer Chukwujekwe is elected the fifth president, and IDAN establishes its permanent Secretariat in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi.
New chapter leadership
Kuceli Ross-Adetunji is appointed Abuja Chapter chair.
The first Abuja Interior Design Summit
The FCT chapter convenes its first Interior Design Summit on Saturday 10 June, a morning of conversation for the capital's design community.
Renewal
Structure, visibility and advocacy
A sixth president
Jacqueline Aki is invested as President and sets out three pillars: Structure, Visibility and Advocacy.
New National Executive Council
The Council is inaugurated in Lagos. Programmes that follow include the IDAN Lessons webinar series and the CEO Roundtable.
African Interior Design Congress
The first AIDC, Designing Africa's Future, is convened with ACIAD and Design Week Lagos. The Institute of Professional Interior Designers and Product Inventors launches the same week.
A new identity
IDAN unveils its refreshed identity ahead of its twentieth anniversary.
Abuja Interior Design Summit
The FCT chapter hosts the Abuja Interior Design Summit.
Listening Session and #AskIDAN
Members are heard at the IDAN Listening Session on 9 September, and the Executive begins answering members' questions on camera every Wednesday. IDAN members join the Big 5 Talks panel "Who pays when interiors come last?" at Big 5 Construct Nigeria.
New channels and the first NIDS
IDAN relaunches its channels around a new direction, "Beyond the finish", and convenes the first National Interior Design Summit, Interiors as Infrastructure.
Twenty years
IDAN marks its twentieth anniversary, honouring the pioneers who started it all.
FCT Chapter
Who stood by Abuja
Interior Woodworks, Boe Concepts, Window Story, AFP, Nettetal, Paris Choice Hotel and many more.
The wife of the Kaduna State Governor, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Presidents
Those who led
Six presidents since 2007, each building on the last.
- 1Munirat Shonibare2007 to 2011
- 2Anselm Tabansi2011 to 2014
- 3Titi Ogufere2014 to 2018
- 4Omon Anenih Mordi2018 to 2021
- 5Jenifer Chukwujekwe2022 to 2025
- 6Jacqueline Aki2025 to date
Be part of what comes next.
Twenty years in, the profession is still being built. Join the members writing its next chapter.