The Fashion and Beauty Roundtable at Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) on Thursday, November 20, 2025, delivered star power and honest conversations as cast members of The Real Housewives of Lagos took the stage. Mariam Adeyemi-Timmer, Laura Ikeji, Sophia Momodu, and Adeola “Diadem” Adeyemi sat as panellists.
The conversation centred on the business of beauty, the challenges in Nigeria’s beauty sector, and what it takes to build a brand that lasts. One of the highlights of the session came from Laura Ikeji, who spoke about expansion, resilience, and knowing when to pivot.
Laura also shared her dream of taking her brand, Laura Beauty, beyond Nigeria’s borders. “I want to take Laura Beauty international,” she said. “I feel like Nigerians don’t value Nigerian products. I want to take it to every country in Africa and outside Africa.”
She also spoke candidly about consistency. While many business conversations emphasise the need to “show up every day,” Laura encouraged a more practical approach. “I know people preach consistency every time. I understand and I agree with it. You have to be consistent in anything you’re doing,” she said. “But if you have been consistently doing something for years and it’s not bringing you money or you are not seeing results, it’s advisable that you either stop it and do something else or you re-strategise.”
The statement captured the quiet pressure many young Nigerian creatives face—working hard without seeing returns and feeling guilty for wanting to try something new. Laura’s message was clear: consistency matters, but direction matters more.
Mariam Adeyemi-Timmer brought a different perspective, focusing on the lack of investment and trust in Nigeria’s beauty industry. She expressed frustration over how many consumers still treat local products as inferior. “The beauty industry in Nigeria does not have investors,” she said. “People don’t want to buy Nigerian products because they feel it’s substandard.”
She argued that this perception is not only outdated but harmful to local innovation. According to her, Nigerian products are formulated with Nigerian skin in mind, which should be an advantage. “Support Nigerian beauty brands because those foreign products you are buying, you are secondary in the formulation,” she said. “They formulate primarily for their skin.”
Her comment sparked discussions about representation, inclusivity, and the need to build trust in home-grown products.
The session closed with a renewed call for more support for Nigerian beauty brands and a deeper appreciation of the work local entrepreneurs are doing. It also reflected what Entertainment Week Africa stands for bringing creatives together to learn, share, and grow.
Organised by Livespot 360, EWA continues to position itself as a major platform for conversations that push Africa’s creative industries forward.
