9TH EDITION
Blueprint CONFERENCE
The 9th Edition of Blueprint Conference
Theme:
Design as Capital
Turning Creativity Into Bankable Assets — Blueprint Conference 2026
Venue
Oriental Hotel VI, Lagos
Date
Oct 16th, 2026
Time
9:00 AM
From ₦150,000
BLUEPRINT 2026 · EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS SOON · SEATS ARE LIMITED
The Question
What if we stopped seeing design as an expense and started seeing it as an asset?
Design creates value. It shapes how businesses are experienced, how properties perform, how products are perceived, how cities evolve, and how brands compete. Yet, across Africa, the economic value of design is still significantly underestimated.
Blueprint Conference 2026 is here to change that conversation. Join leading voices across interior design, architecture, real estate, construction, manufacturing, furniture, technology, business and the wider built environment as we explore one powerful question:
How can we transform design from a service into capital?
Theme 2026
Design as Capital
Design is more than aesthetics. It is intellectual capital. It is economic capital. It is brand capital. It is social capital. It is cultural capital.
And when strategically deployed, design can become a powerful driver of business growth, investment, property value, innovation and wealth creation.
At Blueprint Conference 2026, we will examine how designers and built-environment professionals can move beyond simply creating beautiful spaces to creating measurable value.
Good design attracts attention.
Great design creates value.
Strategic design creates capital.
Why Blueprint 2026?
The built environment is changing. Clients are becoming more sophisticated. Technology is transforming how we design and build. Real estate investors are demanding greater returns. Consumers are buying experiences, not just products. Brands are recognising the power of physical environments.
And designers can no longer afford to remain at the end of the value chain. We must become part of the conversation at the beginning.
Blueprint Conference 2026 brings the industry together to explore how design can influence:
Investment decisionsProperty valueBusiness growthBrand positioningCustomer experienceInnovationSustainabilityJob creationManufacturingReal estate developmentAfrican economic growth
This is where design meets business, investment and opportunity.
What to Expect
A day built around design and capital
01
Insightful Keynotes
Hear from influential thought leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts who are shaping the future of design and the built environment. Expect perspectives that challenge conventional thinking and provide practical strategies you can apply to your career or business.
02
Powerful Industry Conversations
Engage in thought-provoking conversations around the real issues affecting the African design and built environment industries. From professional practice and business models to investment, technology and the future of work, we will tackle the conversations that matter.
03
Design + Business
Discover how to position design as a business asset. Learn how designers can increase their value, build profitable businesses, attract better clients, develop intellectual property and create multiple revenue streams.
04
Real Estate + Investment
Explore the relationship between design and property value. Understand how design decisions influence marketability, customer experience, asset positioning, investment returns and the long-term value of real estate.
05
Networking
Meet the people who can open doors to your next opportunity. Connect with interior designers, architects, real estate developers, investors, contractors, manufacturers, furniture brands, suppliers, artisans, developers, government representatives, corporate leaders, educators and entrepreneurs. Come with your business card. Come with your ideas. Come ready to build relationships.
06
Business & Career Opportunities
Blueprint is not just about inspiration. It is about access. Discover partnerships, collaborations, business opportunities, new markets and connections that can move your career or company forward.
The Future of the African Built Environment
Africa is growing. Our cities are evolving. Our middle class is expanding. Real estate is transforming. Technology is disrupting traditional business models. And a new generation of African designers is emerging.
What role will design play in Africa's next chapter of economic growth?
Who Should Attend?
Blueprint Conference is designed for professionals and stakeholders across the entire design and built-environment ecosystem.
Interior Designers
Build stronger businesses, increase your professional value and understand how to turn creativity into commercial opportunity.
Architects
Explore the intersection between design, development, investment and economic value.
Real Estate Developers
Discover how strategic design can differentiate developments, improve marketability and enhance asset value.
Contractors & Builders
Connect with designers, developers, suppliers and potential business partners.
Furniture & Product Manufacturers
Position your products within the growing African design and built environment market.
Suppliers & Brands
Connect directly with decision-makers and industry professionals.
Artisans & Craftsmen
Understand how your skills, products and craftsmanship can become part of a larger design economy.
Students & Emerging Professionals
Gain industry knowledge, build relationships and understand the business opportunities available within the sector.
Investors & Business Leaders
Discover the economic potential of design and the opportunities emerging across Africa’s built environment.
Moments from Blueprint
The Room Where It Happens
Watch the Highlights
See Blueprint in Motion
What People Are Saying
One in all Conference
"Blueprint gave me three new client relationships in a single afternoon."
Abioye Josephine
"I left thinking about my business, not just my portfolio."
Ogbonna John
"The best design conference in Lagos, hands down."
Sanni Yussuf
The Blueprint Conversation
For too long, the conversation around design has focused primarily on aesthetics. Blueprint 2026 expands the conversation. We are asking:
Can design increase property value?
Can design create jobs?
Can design attract investment?
Can design build stronger African brands?
Can design become intellectual property?
Can design drive innovation?
Can design create wealth?
We believe the answer is YES. And we are bringing the industry together to explore exactly how.
Why You Should Be in the Room
Because the next big opportunity in design may not be another project. It may be a partnership. A client. An investment. A business idea. A new market. A collaboration. Or the knowledge that changes the trajectory of your career.
You cannot always predict where your next opportunity will come from. But you can put yourself in the room where opportunities are being created.
Be in the room. Be part of the conversation. Be part of the future.
Event Details
16 October 2026 · 9:00 AM · Oriental Hotel, Lagos
1
VENUE
3
SPEAKERS
3
PANEL SESSIONS
500
ATTENDEES
Program
09:30–10:30
Registration & Design Capital Networking
10:30–10:45
Opening Address — Why Design must be capital — Dr. Jennifer Chukwujekwe
10:45–11:20
Keynote — Design as Capital: From Creative Practice to Economic Power
11:20–11:35
Design Capital Spotlight
11:35–12:20
Panel 1 — Design That Pays: Can good design increase business and property value
12:20–12:35
Design Capital Case Study
12:35–1:20
FCMB Panel 2 — Who Funds Design? Accessing capital for the creative and built industry
1:20–1:30
FCMB Capital Moment
1:30–2:30
The Capital Lunch & Networking
2:30–2:45
Design Capital Pitch
2:45–3:30
Panel 3 — Designer to CEO
3:30–3:45
60-Second Networking
3:45–4:25
Fireside — Africa’s Design Economy
4:25–4:50
Closing Panel — The Next Blueprint
4:50–5:00
Design Capital Declaration & Closing
More Than a Conference
This is more than a conference.
It is a meeting point for ideas, people, capital and opportunity.
It is where creativity meets commerce.
Where design meets investment.
Where professionals meet possibilities.
Where conversations become collaborations.
And where the future of the African built environment begins to take shape.
Your Seat Is Your Investment
If you believe design can do more…
If you believe African designers deserve a stronger voice in the economy…
If you believe the built environment can create greater value…
If you are ready to expand your network, sharpen your business thinking and discover new opportunities…
Blueprint Conference 2026 is for you.
Don’t just attend another conference. Invest in your knowledge. Invest in your network. Invest in your future.
Choose Your Seat
Registration Tiers
Late fee
₦200,000
Starts from Sept 15, 2026
Full-day access, all keynotes & panels, networking lunch
Early Bird
₦150,000
Standard registration
Full-day access, all keynotes & panels, networking lunch
VIP
₦250,000
Limited seats
Conference materials, Tea Break, Lunch, Front Row Seating, Speaker Access, Post Event Masterclass.
Secure Your Seat Today
Design as capital starts with you.
Seats are limited. Secure your place at the 9th Edition of Blueprint Conference and join hundreds of professionals, business leaders and industry stakeholders for a day of insight, connection and opportunity.
Click below to secure your ticket and complete your payment.
Your next opportunity could be sitting in the room.
Sponsorship & Partnership
Would you like your organisation to be part of the conversation?
Blueprint Conference provides opportunities for organisations, brands and institutions to connect with influential professionals across the African design and built environment ecosystem.
Brand visibilityExhibition opportunitiesSpeaking opportunitiesStrategic partnershipsProduct showcasingIndustry networkingMedia exposureCorporate participation
Let's build something valuable together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can attend Blueprint Conference?
Blueprint is open to interior designers, architects, real estate professionals, contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, artisans, students, investors, business leaders and anyone interested in the future of design and the built environment.
Where will Blueprint Conference 2026 take place?
The conference will take place at Oriental Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria.
When is the conference?
Thursday, 16 October 2026, from 9:00 AM.
What is this year's theme?
The 2026 theme is Design as Capital.
Will there be networking opportunities?
Yes. Networking is a key part of Blueprint Conference, providing opportunities to connect with professionals, brands, investors, developers and other stakeholders across the industry.
Can organisations sponsor or partner with Blueprint?
Yes. Organisations interested in sponsorship, partnerships, exhibitions or corporate participation can contact the Blueprint Conference team for available opportunities.
Your design has value.
Your ideas have value. Your creativity has value. Your expertise has value. Your network has value. Your industry has value.
It's time we started treating design as capital.
Blueprint Conference 2026
DESIGN AS CAPITAL
16 OCTOBER 2026 · 9:00 AM · ORIENTAL HOTEL, LAGOS
REGISTER. PAY. BE IN THE ROOM.
Blueprint Conference 2026 · Hosted by JSAID · info@jenniezschool.com