Earlier in October 2024, the Lagos Fashion season kicked off with the Lagos Fashion Week. For the 13th year in a row, the metropolitan city and the Nigerian fashion industry buzzed with excitement and anxiety. Fashion enthusiasts, models, photographers, fashion journalists, and Pan-African designers from across the continent met for the grand presentation of Spring/Summer 2025 collections.
The Nigerian fashion industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Despite facing capital infusion, creative theft, difficulties in international logistics, and skills development, the industry manages to stay afloat and remains a contender in the global fashion market. The sector contributes significantly to the economy, with Nigeria accounting for about 15% of Africa’s $31 billion fashion and textile industry.
The fashion week events, featuring international and local fashion designers, have played a crucial role in providing visibility for Nigerian fashion designers and levelling the playing ground to enable them to compete with their global counterparts. The 2024 Lagos fashion season featured some of the most established brands on the runway like Tolu Coker, Orange Culture, Gert-Johan Coetzee, Laquan Smith, and so many more. They graced us with their most innovative and magnificent craftsmanship creating a memorable and thrilling experience for the average fashion enthusiast.
In all these, it is crucial to remember that the runway cannot achieve its vibrancy without the models who bring these dresses to life. With the right turn, strides, tilt, arresting strut, and oozing confidence, the entire game changes. The Nigerian modelling industry, although plagued with its challenges, still thrives with models who are determined to work pari passu with designers and keep the Nigerian fashion industry at its peak.
Here are some Black female models who stole the show during the fashion season.
- Chinelo Ibegbunam
In 2024, Chinelo made her graceful appearance on GTCO Fashion Weekend’s runway in Sukeina. On a brown turtleneck and metallic blue skort, she strutted with a confidence that had taken over seven years to build. She began her modelling journey at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka with a departmental pageant. Sadly, she went back home with no trophy, but, luckily, she had just started digging a well of fortune in the Nigeria modelling industry that would pay off with time.
In 2019, she prepared herself for Miss University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka. With a burning desire cultivated at a young age, the hunger to succeed, and immense hard work, she wore the Miss UNN crown and sash.
Chinelo, who kept her modelling life away from her parents because of the fear of discouragement, was bolstered by this win and told them about her passion.
With more sleeves rolling, she got signed by an agency called Mahogany Model Management and proceeded to walk her first runway at Arise Fashion Week. When asked about her dream runway, she doesn’t hesitate to say it’s the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. Imagining Chinelo as a Victoria’s Secret angel with pretty wings seems more than deserving. Her modelling inspiration runs from the Nigerian supermodel Mayowa Nicholas to South Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech.
- Uzogheli Ifeoma
Ifeoma started modelling at 14, and since then she has nurtured the dream of being a supermodel on the global scene. She got into modelling through the help of her brother’s friend who generously shared casting updates with her. A synergy of confidence, talent, and passion got her signed to an agency on her first trial.
Unfortunately, the model management she was signed onto at the time wasn’t the best for her, she suggests. While discussing her journey, she says she experienced extreme hostility at work and was severely under-managed. She left the agency and joined another agency she describes as “the best modelling agency ever.” This agency has been her sword in this cut-throat industry.
Her impressive work ethic was also evident during the Lagos fashion season. Ifeoma walked for a whopping 14 designers, both international and indigenous brands.
Her dream is to be in a Mugler masterpiece strutting the runway in the best way she knows.
Ifeoma has consistently been the biggest supporter of people reaching their peak, it is no surprise that her greatest wish is to see Nigerian models get proper visibility.
- Cheta Eze
Cheta, a 20-year-old model, was scouted by Ms Nana Okeke, the CEO of Zane Models Management, at a church event in 2019. Immediately after being recruited, she began training and attending castings, but she wasn’t successful for over two years. This derailed her spirit and almost made her give up on modelling. However, introspection saved the industry a star, as she realized her walk wasn’t there yet. Thus, this raised the need to hone her skills properly.
She gained admission into university in 2021 and could not attend training anymore. She found a solution by taking on the mantle and training herself. That same year, the doors of the Nigerian modelling industry swung open for Cheta as she walked her first runway for the Design Fashion Africa (DFA) fashion show. She has, so far, walked for GTCO Fashion Weekend thrice, Lagos Fashion Week, Fashion Evo, and some private runway shows.
During the fashion season last year, she was on the Fashion Evo and GTCO’s runway, walking for fashion houses like Tolu Coker, Gert Johan Coetzee, Eric Raisina, Amarelis, Joseph Ejiro, Ciscacecil, and Dash Contents.
Cheta’s dream runway is to walk for international brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Georgio Armani, Fendi, Versace, D & G, etc.
- Yolanda Isaac
Yolanda Isaac, a modelling content creator who began her runway journey in 2024, was first discovered by her bosom friend—Haniff—a photographer. Issac never had the intention of becoming a model. She wanted to design or capture picturesque moments and hoped Hanifa would mentor her, but fate had other tricks up its sleeves.
During a shoot, Hanifa mentioned how much of a great model Yolanda would make and Yolanda took the compliment seriously. As someone with a massive love for fashion, she saw it as a route to wear many clothes.
Issac went from posting the results of their exciting shoots on TikTok to walking the runway during the Lagos Fashion Week in 2024. This marked Yolanda’s first and successful casting. She walked 11 designers: Maliko, Bornstar x Maison Mystic, Orire, Lady Biba, M.O.T, Lagos Space Programme, Elexiay, Ibilola Ogundipe, E.S.O by Liman, Babayo, and Loza Maleombho.
When Yolanda is on the runway, the audience can observe her confidence in the way she carries herself and her deep trust in her abilities.
With in-depth knowledge and interest in fashion, she’s not just a model for the money or popularity, even though she recognizes their importance. Anybody can tell that this is a career she thoroughly enjoys.
Yolanda keeps a list of Nigerian fashion brands she would love to work for and it includes Weizdhurm Franklyn, Oshobor, and John Eke. After witnessing their mastery in person during the LFW, she anticipates the opportunity to bring their craftsmanship to life on the runway.
- Gift Peter Ose
As a child, Gift developed an interest in fashion and photography. At 13, she was inspired by professional models on Spice TV, leading her to research and educate herself on the industry. After completing her Secondary School education at 15, she enrolled for a modelling class. And now, she has dedicated herself to building a prosperous modelling career.
As a freelance model, Gift Peter has auspiciously walked for multiple runway shows and most recently featured on Udi Ejiji Oktoba ( October Fashion Style) published in Guzang, a go-to source of African fashion creatives, and appeared on Afrimax.
For the Summer/Spring 2025 runway presentation, Gift was on the runway for Ekikere and five other designers at GTCO Fashion Weekend. Her strong charisma and unique features make her a compelling presence on the runway.
She aims to become a leading figure in the fashion and film industry and secure spots in top fashion shows and advertising campaigns while also inspiring the next generation of models through mentorships and workshops.
- Alexandra Obochi
Alexandra is a multi-disciplinary creative whose love for fashion drove her to the runway. The lack of inclusivity in the Nigerian fashion industry limited her dreams and made her settle as a fashion influencer with the username Fatshionista on Instagram. Skilled in photography, she took to curating outfits and posting them on her feed drawing keen attention. This visibility made it easier for her to get on the runway.
She walked for Oshobor in the 2024 Lagos Fashion Week, stealing the show in a fiery red Edo-inspired gown with golden straps. Her hair was styled in a ponytail and she was adorned in coral beads—the sartorial piece of a true Edo bride.
Alexandra’s body size went from deterring her runway presence to being an outstanding feature that makes her desirable. She echoes that her current mission in the Nigerian fashion industry is to ensure that there is room for plus-size women, as all sizes wear clothes and thus must be represented.
She has been featured in multiple publications like Modaculture Magazine, Vogue Magazine, Native Magazine, etc.
- Titilope Abayomi
Titilope is of the belief that modelling found her. However, her career took off when she consciously chose it. She was scouted by her agency, Fowler Model Management, in 2019, and at the time, she had no real understanding of what modelling entailed beyond what she’d seen on television.
That was the same year Titilope was admitted into the university. Balancing her school in Yola with modelling in Lagos was an arduous challenge. Notwithstanding, she managed to secure some great campaign shots through minimal effort.
The real work started in 2024 when she fully embraced her potential as a model and immersed herself in the Nigerian fashion industry. She became committed to improving her body, perfecting her pose, and training for runway walks.
During the fashion season, she walked for 13 designers but had the opportunity to wear 14. She defined this experience as an incredible reward for her growth.
Titilope doesn’t concede to the idea of a dream runway. She sees every runway as an opportunity to make an impact. Whether it’s a major international show or an emerging designer’s debut, her focus is on delivering her best and inspiring others through her work.
She hopes the Nigerian modelling industry will operate with greater structure and professionalism—where “African timing” is a thing of the past and compensation truly reflects the value models bring to the industry.
