FourthCanvas expands to the UK as it marks 11th anniversary

Nigerian design consultancy FourthCanvas has established a UK operation and appointed longtime team member Tunji Ogunoye as Country Director, marking its first formal international expansion as it celebrates its 11th anniversary.

The Lagos-headquartered company said it had incorporated in the UK and secured its first fintech client in the market.

The move coincides with the company’s 11th anniversary and comes as it seeks to build a client base among startups and established businesses in the UK.

Victor Fatanmi, co-founder and Director of Strategy, said the expansion followed years of developing the firm’s capabilities and business relationships.

“After 11 years, we’ve learnt enough to begin to substantiate what had always been a global ambition. Our system has matured, our work has matured,” Fatanmi said.

The company identified Nigerian entrepreneurs and businesses entering the UK as one source of opportunity. It also plans to draw on its experience working with startups and its understanding of African consumers.

According to the consultancy, the increasing migration of Africans to the UK and other international markets is reshaping how brands engage with multicultural audiences. It said brands needed to look beyond broad demographic segmentation and build more culturally specific relationships, recognising the distinct consumer behaviours, cultural perspectives and expectations within African communities.

The company said businesses seeking to connect with diaspora communities or expand across borders needed partners who understood the cultural nuances shaping those audiences. It sees its experience building brands in African markets, combined with local UK market insight, as a foundation for addressing those needs.

Ogunoye, who joined FourthCanvas in 2016 and previously served as Director of Design, has now been appointed Country Director to oversee the UK operation. He said the consultancy’s work with businesses at different stages of growth had shaped its approach to brand positioning and communication.

That work includes helping companies define their offering, communicate with investors and establish how they want customers to understand their business, he said.

Ogunoye acknowledged that applying this experience in the UK would require adapting to local expectations.

“Context differs. Way of doing things differs,” he said.

He added that understanding the local business culture and how people make decisions would be central to establishing the operation.

Founded in 2015, FourthCanvas has spent 11 years working on brand strategy, identity, communication and activations for startups and established businesses. Its assignments have included helping companies define their market position, communicate organisational changes and develop brands for their next stage of growth.

The design consultancy’s portfolio includes work for ALX, M-KOPA, TLCOM, Notto, Piggyvest, Raenest, The Stack Group (Paystack), Nigerian Breweries, Titan Trust Bank and ThriveAgric, according to the company.

FourthCanvas also reports having clients in Kenya and South Africa. Its longer-term plans include establishing operations in the United States, China and other African business hubs.

For now, the company said its priority is to build local relationships and establish a sustainable UK business.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

NESA, Lagos State Unveils ECONNEXT Lagos Conference 2026

The 2027 Race: How Bayse is giving Nigerians clarity on the elections

MoMo PSB Supports Federal Government’s ₦50,000 NERSI Relief Disbursement to Vulnerable Nigerians