DOACWEB'S CEO, DIDI-OMAH AUGUSTINE PREDICTS THE FUTURE OF FASHION IN AFRICA, AFTER META'S Q1 EARNINGS REPORT BY MARK ZUCKERBERG

“We at doacweb.com, Africa, are working for doacWeb to become part of people daily life, with billions relying on the platform for news, entertainment, and commerce.

People tends to predict the future, some get it right, others looks like liars. The future of fashion in Africa, especially in Nigeria — goes beyond sewing clothes traditionally.

If we keep sewing clothes traditionally, we are not going to be in the international market, and still be struggling financially — in fact, in the global fashion world, we will not be heard and known.

DIDI-OMAH AUGUSTINE CHINAZAEKPERE

I see many tailors and fashion designers struggling, it looks as if the industry is poor. Now I do wear native, Kingsley Jackson, CEO at Growth Catalst, visited me in Rumuekini, I showed him my clothing line in my bedroom, that was in July 2024.

Kingsley Jackson was shocked, he said to me, Augustine you have lots of natives, both the expensive and cheap ones. Sometimes, my dressing in African textile, makes me look like a politican or big investor in the society.

This is my point, if Didi-Omah sew a senator with blue African fabric, posted it on Instagram, with the caption, patronize this brand or our client is rocking the brand — sorry it is not his brand.

See the reason, that same senator wear, Augustine can take that screenshot, move to his fashion designer, tell him he want it, on a green African fabric — boom it is done. Anything that two or three persons can do without curving or bending — having same language and identity — is not a brand. You are just copy and competiting and losing your identity in the market and lives of people.

Truly you will get clients, I am not saying, you will not have clients — surely they must have serving customers patronizing them, but remember you are getting old in nature — so try as much as possible not to be out of business.

For we to stand top, we Africans — I am refering to Nigerians — is to create a unique styling, have a good name, get a brand, build an identity — our own identity; not copying others and competiting with other, claiming its our brand. Then move to branding the fashion products we design, and services we offer; then in the corporate world or business area — take the company public, this will drive more investors, more sales and boost the brand and the branding. 

MARK ZUCKERBERG

On Wednesday, April 30th 2025; in Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg's full transcript of what he said, he mentioned: over the long term, as AI unlocks more productivity in the economy, he also expect people will spend more of their time on entertainment and culture, which will create an even larger opportunity to create more engaging experiences across all their apps (Facebook, Instagram, Thread, WhatsApp).

Here he was talking on the second opportunity for Meta, he tagged; more engaging experiences.

The future of fashion in Africa, is marketing the feeling — I am saying, sell the feeling — the experience — the feel among. Fashion is part of human's social life, so if your fashion products can make people have high social status, feel among, and good physical experience — while you secure it by using your brand and branding — then you are billionaire; with the area of making your company a public venture, this will make and take your business international, serving global markets and be well known. Investors, markets, sales and fast growth are on your desk.

AFRICAN TEXTILE

Fashion is also included in entertainment and culture — it holds billions of naira in the industry here in Nigeria, if only we can explore it well, and channel the processes to our own venture, then the wealth will be in our bank accounts day by day.

These don't just happen overnight, they require hardwork, right skills, right people, more studies, more efforts on research and development, and government permission or acceptance or license, etc.

For us to go viral in fashion, we have to create an engaging experience in our design, and sell the feeling to the people — to go viral, go engaging — that is the truth!”

© Didi-Omah Augustine Chinazaekpere