An entrepreneur and founder of Mo Tribal, Modupeola Buhari, a fashion brand, said Nigeria has the capacity to become the fashion capital of the world with improved infrastructure, stronger protection for creative ideas and sustained investment.
He said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
Buhari argued that Nigeria’s creative talents were globally competitive and that fashion should not be excluded from the country’s growing international reputation for innovation.
He said government policies that guarantee reliable electricity, security and infrastructure would improve productivity and attract greater investment into the fashion industry.
‘Like in many things that need to work, an enabling environment is key. Without a reliable power supply, productivity lags. Without adequate security, security risks are rife.
‘Without infrastructure, things generally slow down. But in the context of the fashion industry, and in fact the creative space entirely, right now, no matter how brilliant your ideas are, you are ironically at the mercy of your competitor.
‘If you like, trademark or copyright your ideas, someone who only knows the route to China is waiting to hijack your blueprint on a grand scale.
‘Nigerian creators don’t necessarily have the comfort that their hard-earned brainchild is safe, even within the same Nigerian state.’
‘I could advocate for legislation and counter-legislation, but the problem is the lack of certainty in enforcement,’ he said.
He therefore urged state governments to maximise their constitutional powers over electricity generation, transmission and distribution to support industry.
Buhari expressed confidence that Nigerian designers possessed the creativity to compete with leading global brands and said that, despite existing challenges, Nigeria remained capable of becoming a global fashion destination.
‘Regardless of the setback, Nigeria has the capacity to be the fashion capital of the world, all other things being equal.
‘Look at what we are doing in Fintech and other areas. With the right degree of doggedness, we will get there,’ he said.
He said the brand was founded to look inward and project the unique identities and cultural positioning of the Black race through fashion.
‘At Mo Tribal, our philosophy is based on the notion that we may have missed the opportunity to invent state-of-the-art technologies for textile production, but how we use them is within our control.
‘Given the unending supply of native narratives, it is simply unnecessary to import ideas that are already locally abundant, presented in a more relatable fashion.
‘It is time to see garments as a canvas to illustrate our own authentic stories. That way, we begin to matter in the global scheme of things.’
According to him, Mo Tribal’s clothing fits into globally recognised categories but stands out through unique, locally recognisable imagery and sentiments.
The founder added, ‘The imagery and the sentiments we seek to capture are locally recognisable.
‘We believe that we have a deficit (or surplus, as the case may be) of storytelling to be done.
‘When you go back in time, all the expressions; all the stories; all the illustrations that could have been leveraged from time past while ‘we’ were busy representing alien narratives within native cultures. That, in my view, is a huge reserve yet untapped.’
On brand purpose, Buhari said Mo Tribal was designed to inspire pride in African creativity while delivering premium quality and comfort.
He said the brand wanted customers to identify with a movement celebrating indigenous creativity and cultural identity.
‘When you wear our brand, we want you to feel like you have contributed to a movement towards aggressive reawakening for the appreciation of local creativity and pride.
‘On the other hand, we want you to feel comfortable that our clothing, despite the extrinsic value, rates very high in aesthetics and inherent quality.’
He said creativity was central to the brand’s differentiation and competitiveness.
‘Without an appreciable degree of creativity, clothing is just a piece of material waiting to be collected. Creativity sets you apart in any industry. The fashion industry is not an exception.
‘No one is doing exactly what we are doing, and when it appears someone is, we will reinvent ourselves. That is how we cut through the clutter.’
On operations, Buhari said Mo Tribal currently specialises in premium streetwear, including T-shirts, hoodies, bomber jackets, trucker jackets and related items for discerning consumers.
He disclosed that the brand plans significant expansion over the next three years and runs a direct-to-consumer online model.
‘In the next three years, we will be the fashion house to beat, popular with most discerning Africans at home and in the diaspora.
‘If the level of reception so far is anything to go by, I believe the trajectory is as favourable as expected.’
He added, ‘It’s all about creativity. It can’t be reduced to stereotypes. If anything, Nigerians have proven they can hold their own on the global stage in music, movies, content creation, and what have you. Fashion can’t be an exception.
‘The primary ingredient is creativity; everything else money can buy. Machines transform materials into products, but big ideas transform products into a brand.’
Buhari said the company leverages its website and social media platforms for sales while maintaining personal interaction with customers to ensure satisfaction and strengthen brand loyalty.
Buhari identified forex dependence for raw materials, costly imported machinery, and inadequate electricity supply as major constraints limiting the growth and competitiveness of Nigeria’s fashion industry.
‘The most sought-after raw materials are forex-dependent, while the most desirable machinery is largely not domesticated. These and more add to the cost of production.’
He urged state governments to accelerate investments in electricity generation and distribution, describing improved power supply as critical to manufacturing and the wider creative economy.