In an era where economic inclusion remains a pressing issue for women in Nigeria, the intersection of fashion, entrepreneurship and the digital economy offers a transformative solution.
The need for elevating action and bridging the gaps in economic inclusion is pivotal.
At the forefront of this movement within the fashion industry is Oyidiya Ajike-Mbah, the visionary founder of the Garment factory and Fashion Label IVÓ and recently IVÓ Fashionpreneur Academy (IFA).
Through their “Scaling Fashion Project”, A youth empowerment project in partnership with the Challenge Fund For Youth Employment (CFYE), the brand is pioneering innovative solutions which will aid in reshaping the Nigerian fashion industry while empowering women to achieve financial independence.
Nigeria’s fashion industry is a billion-dollar sector with immense potential for job creation and wealth generation.
However, despite the abundance of talent, many young people struggle to convert their passion for fashion into viable businesses and/or jobs. Some of the issues with the industry include the unregulated work conditions and lack of formalization of skilled work.
The sector is mostly informal with most tailors having bargaining power when it comes to wages.
Even though the informal sector is a major contributor to the economy, the idea of decent skilled work is not standardized within the industry.
Other issues include skill gaps, lack of structured training, business development resources, and lack of financial support for fashion businesses.
Traditional fashion schools often focus on technical skills like design and tailoring but fail to equip students with the entrepreneurial know-how nor provide mentorship and coaching necessary for long-term success.
Oyidiya Ajike-Mbah recognized these gaps and sought to address it through their “Scaling Fashion Project” which birthed the IVÓ Fashionpreneur Academy (IFA). The concept for the Scaling Fashion Project is to create an ecosystem of trained skilled workers and provide a platform for shared economy, where empowering one young person through digital entrepreneurship training, coaching and mentorship has the power to empower others within their ecosystem and community. Making sure everyone within the ecosystem is economically empowered.
IFA offers digital marketing and sales training for young women and also opportunities for women to start their own fashion businesses by providing a marketplace for women to sell with virtual storefronts, virtual inventory and technical assistance to help scale their businesses.
Through its Alumni program it offers funding opportunities for female Fashionpreneurs, business registration assistance and production capacity to grow their businesses as retailers either of the brands white label products or their own products.
IFA offers the opportunity to cultivate business acumen in aspiring female entrepreneurs. By providing a holistic approach to fashion education, IFA empowers women with the necessary tools to transition from skilled artisans to thriving business owners who understand market dynamics, pricing strategies, and brand positioning.
IFA’s curriculum is structured around three key pillars: technical mastery, entrepreneurial development, coaching and mentorship. Students receive hands-on training in business fundamentals such as branding, digital marketing and sales, financial management, and customer relations.
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Through strategic partnerships with industry experts, IFA provides mentorship opportunities, fostering long-term career growth for its participants.
Women’s economic empowerment is a crucial driver of national development.
When women thrive economically, they reinvest in their families and communities, creating a ripple effect that benefits society as a whole. And this is the bedrock of IFA’s project.
Through its skill acquisition program, IFA is playing a pivotal role in this transformation by fostering financial independence among Nigerian women, equipping them with marketable skills, and enabling them to build sustainable businesses. The impact of IFA extends beyond individual success stories. By creating a pipeline of well-trained fashion entrepreneurs, the academy is strengthening Nigeria’s fashion ecosystem and positioning the country as a global hub for fashion manufacturing and retail.
To amplify its impact, IFA seeks collaboration with policymakers, investors, ministries and industry leaders who share its vision of empowering women through fashion entrepreneurship. Government agencies can support by integrating fashion entrepreneurship into broader economic inclusion programs, while investors can help scale IFA’s reach through funding and infrastructure development.
As conversations around women’s economic empowerment continue to gain momentum, IFA stands as a beacon of possibility, proving that with the right training, mentorship, and financial support, young Nigerian women can break economic barriers and carve out successful careers in the fashion industry.
Through the leadership of Oyidiya Ajike-Mbah, IFA is not just a skill acquisition academy, it is a movement redefining the future of fashion entrepreneurship in Nigeria and beyond.
