Long before Kila Ibukun established House of Chaviva as a growing hub for importation, souvenirs, household goods, and corporate branding, her entrepreneurial foundation was being quietly laid along the bustling trade corridors of Lagos Island.
Accompanying her mother through Eko Market and Ebute Ero as a young girl, Ibukun absorbed the rhythm of commerce-observing product variety, buyer-seller negotiations, and the flow of daily transactions. Years later, that early exposure would come full circle as she opened her physical store at 68B Pepsi Line in the very same Ebute Ero neighbourhood.
In this exclusive interview, the Founder and CEO of House of Chaviva reflects on her journey from undergraduate side-hustles to corporate retail roles at House of Tara and Black Up, navigating personal loss, and building a wholesale and dropshipping community that empowers emerging Nigerian entrepreneurs to start businesses with minimal capital.
You mentioned that your interest in business started from accompanying your mum to Eko Market, particularly Ebute Ero, where you would sometimes pass through different parts of the market and make purchases for the home. How did those early experiences shape your interest in buying, selling, and entrepreneurship?
I think being exposed to the market at that young age made me curious about how buying and selling worked. We weren’t there because my mum was a trader; sometimes, we were simply passing through Ebute Ero to other parts of the market or buying things for the home. But, being in that environment exposed me to the energy of the market, the different products, the way sellers interacted with people, and how transactions happened.
I think those experiences stayed somewhere in my subconscious. By the time I got to university and started looking for ways to make money, business didn’t feel completely foreign to me. I had already been exposed to that environment from a young age.
Looking back, I think that early exposure planted the seed. I didn’t know it at the time, but years later, I would find myself building a business and eventually having my own physical store around that same Ebute Ero environment.
That last part is particularly powerful because it connects your childhood experience to your current store at 68B Pepsi Line, Ebute Ero, Lagos Island without creating a story that isn’t accurate.
During your university days, you moved quickly from running errands to selling eggs and employing people for chin-chin production. How did you know at that young age that you could delegate and lead others?
I honestly don’t think I consciously thought, ‘I am going to become a leader.’ I simply saw an opportunity and realised that I couldn’t do everything myself.
When I started making chin-chin, I knew there was cutting, frying, packaging, and other things to be done. So, I got people to help me with the parts they could handle while I coordinated everything.
Looking back now, I realise that entrepreneurship taught me leadership before I even knew I was learning it. I learnt that you don’t necessarily have to be the person doing everything; you have to know what needs to be done, find the right people, and make sure everyone is moving towards the same goal.
Sourcing products from the Island after classes at Ikeja was a demanding commute. How did you maintain that level of consistency and drive when you were tired or running late?
Consistency. That is one word I would use.
Once someone had trusted me with their money and placed an order, I saw it as my responsibility to deliver. I couldn’t tell them, ‘I’m tired,’ because I had promised to get it.
Sometimes, I would leave Ikeja around 3:30 p.m., head to the island, source the products, and get home very late. But I kept doing it because I knew what I was building. I wasn’t looking at the inconvenience of that particular day; I was looking at where that small hustle could take me.
That experience really shaped me because I learnt that sometimes the difference between someone who succeeds and someone who gives up is simply the ability to remain consistent when things are inconvenient.
You paid what you had to start at House of Tara despite not having full tuition. What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs waiting for ‘perfect conditions’ or full funding before they start?
I would tell them: start with what you have, but start intelligently.
I didn’t have all the money for the course I wanted at House of Tara, but I didn’t allow that to stop me. I paid what I could afford and started. Then, while learning, I found another way to make money by helping other students source their makeup products.
I believe waiting until everything is perfect can sometimes become an excuse for not starting. You don’t necessarily need everything figured out before you begin. Start with what you have, learn along the way, reinvest, and grow.
But I would also add that starting small doesn’t mean starting carelessly. You have to understand the numbers, know your market, and be willing to learn.
How did working with brands like Black Up and tutoring at House of Tara shape your understanding of customer service and corporate structure?
Working with brands like Black Up and especially House of Tara under Tara Fela-Durotoye (TFD) shaped my understanding of professionalism, customer service, and working within a structured organisation.
There’s no way you would work at House of Tara under Tara Fela-Durotoye and not learn customer ethics and work professionalism. The environment exposed me to how to relate with customers, communicate properly, maintain standards, work as part of a team, and represent a brand professionally.
It also taught me that having a good product is not enough. How you treat the customer, how you present yourself, and how consistently you deliver the brand experience matter just as much.
Those lessons have stayed with me and influenced how I run House of Chaviva today. I want customers to experience professionalism, good service, and reliability whenever they interact with my brand.
Losing your mum was a pivotal and painful turning point. How did entrepreneurship serve as both an anchor and a vehicle for financial independence during that difficult season?
Losing my mum was one of the most difficult experiences of my life because she was not just my mother; she was also someone whose presence gave me a sense of security.
After her passing, I had to become much more intentional about creating financial independence for myself. Entrepreneurship became an anchor because it gave me something to focus on and something I could build.
It also gave me a sense of purpose. Even during difficult periods, I could wake up and say, ‘There is something I need to do today. There is a client to attend to. There is a product to source. There is something I am building.’
So, in many ways, business became both my source of income and a vehicle through which I rebuilt myself.
In 2021, you left Lagos and returned at a time when many peers were moving abroad (‘japa-ing’) or seeking corporate jobs. What gave you the conviction to stay the course with business instead of taking a conventional career path?
My flair and passion for business have also played a huge role in helping me keep going. Business is something I genuinely enjoy, and that passion has given me the resilience to keep managing and growing it through different seasons of my life.
You started House of Chaviva focusing on importation, souvenirs, and household goods. How did you identify souvenirs and household items as your next big market?
I had already been involved in selling different products over the years, so I understood that people are constantly looking for useful and affordable products. I also noticed the consistent demand for souvenirs for weddings, birthdays, corporate events, religious programmes, and other occasions. Household products also have a broad market because they are practical things people use every day.
So I decided to combine my experience in sourcing with products that had everyday demand, and that eventually evolved into House of Chaviva as it is today,an importation, wholesale and retail business focused on souvenirs, household items and branding.
Your dropshipping and wholesale community enables others to start businesses with low capital. Why was building an ecosystem for other entrepreneurs so important to you, rather than just focusing on direct sales; and what is the single biggest misconception people have about starting a business in Nigeria?
I created the wholesale and dropshipping community because I understand what it means to start with little. I wanted to create an avenue where people can access products at affordable prices, resell them, and make an income without needing huge capital or importing directly. For me, entrepreneurship is not just about what I can build for myself; it is also about creating opportunities for others.
One of the biggest misconceptions about starting a business in Nigeria is that you need a lot of money before you can begin. My own journey has taught me otherwise. I started with very little, but I had the willingness to identify opportunities, solve problems, learn, and remain consistent. Capital is important for growth, but it is not the only thing you need to start.
What is next for House of Chaviva over the next three to five years?
Over the next three to five years, I see House of Chaviva becoming a stronger importation, distribution, and business support platform. I want to expand our product range, strengthen our wholesale and dropshipping network, and create even more opportunities for people to start and grow businesses. Ultimately, I want House of Chaviva to be known not just for the products we sell but for trust, quality, accessibility and the opportunities we create for others.