The results of this approach range from the LM Stool, a slick, multifunctional piece inspired by the portable “kwali” confectionery stands that decorate road crossings in the designer’s hometown — to the Selah Lamp, a seat-and-lightsource that’s elegant, lightweight and easy to live with. In late 2020 the studio responded to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic with the creation of a moveable handwashing station, designed to answer a need expressed by medical staff working within the unpredictable architecture of Lagos’s healthcare facilities. From widely admired furniture pieces that you’ll have to be waitlisted to buy, to clever, accessible solutions to systemic issues, humility underpins everything that comes out of nmbello Studio.

We sat down with the designer to find out about his no-process process, the chaos and vibrancy that the Nigerian capital gives his practice, and the present and near future of his work.

You talk about the absence of a ‘process’, in the traditional sense. How do your products come to life?

I always make sure to embrace constraints — human, manufacturing and material — and to understand them before designing a product. This means parameters dictate the design process each time, so each brief and opportunity is different.

How does Lagos shape and inspire your output?

I have lived and grown up across the continent, but Lagos is my home. It inspires me as much as it frustrates me. It really keeps me grounded. Lagos is the heartbeat of my studio.

How would you describe the landscape of African design now?

Design is something that is constantly happening in Africa. The problem is, it might not fit the contemporary European look and feel for what design should be, so it’s swept under the rug. This year I am hoping to highlight some of the amazing design that’s happening across West Africa through a research project called Africa — A Designer’s Utopia.

The research aims to focus on and demonstrate how indigenous design thinking and the ingenuity of anonymously designed products caters to stakeholders across a unique supply chain. It will highlight how a design revolution continues to happen in Africa — but without the “design” label attached to it.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on the research, Africa — A Designer’s Utopia. I am also hoping to launch a series of prototypes and limited-edition items and furniture pieces. The idea is to take my time in creating these products, and to carry out a few material and systematic investigations dear to my heart.

What would you love to design, and why?

I would love to design a house. I feel like I’m a failed architect at heart.