Silkcoat, a Turkish company, has teamed up with Threads of Africa Fashion Week, a Nigerian-led platform for fashion stakeholders, to support grassroots female fashion designers through a ₦7.5 million empowerment initiative.
Mr Baris Yerlikaya, Silkcoat’s Marketing and Sales Manager in Nigeria, announced the donation during a presentation ceremony held on Thursday in Abuja.
The contribution is aimed at skills development, capacity building, and establishing sustainable fashion businesses for five selected women at the grassroots level.
Yerlikaya explained that the initiative aligns with Silkcoat’s broader corporate social responsibility and empowerment goals in Nigeria.
He highlighted Nigeria’s potential as Africa’s largest fashion hub and emphasized that with adequate support, local designers can compete on the global stage.
“We have been operating in Africa since 2000 and are committed to adding value to the economies of the countries where we work. This belief motivated our partnership for the 2025 Threads of Africa Fashion Week,” he said.
The ₦7.5 million donation is designed to cover professional training and business setup costs, averaging ₦1.5 million per beneficiary, allowing each selected designer to launch a viable fashion enterprise.
Yerlikaya added that the programme is part of Silkcoat’s wider empowerment initiatives targeting women and girls, aimed at promoting creativity, inclusion, and economic independence.
He also noted that Silkcoat has invested in other social impact projects across Nigeria, including sinking over 100 water boreholes in Sokoto, Maiduguri, and Kano states to improve access to clean water and encourage school attendance.
The company has also sponsored football tournaments among painters in the same states, awarding N100,000 to participating teams to promote community development and unity.
Yerlikaya emphasized that Silkcoat’s long-term objective includes attracting more Turkish investors to Nigeria to support local industries, generate jobs, and contribute to economic growth.
Mr Aminu Aminu, Director of Administration at Threads of Africa Fashion, thanked Silkcoat for empowering five grassroots female designers through the donation.
He explained that the funds would enhance the designers’ skills, brand positioning, and international visibility, preparing them for partnerships and investment opportunities.
Aminu said the 2025 fashion week, scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, would showcase Nigeria’s and Africa’s cultural heritage to a global audience.
“Threads of Africa Fashion Week 2025 is a premier event uniting Africa’s fashion ecosystem, from grassroots designers to top stylists and fabric vendors,” he said.
The event will provide business networking opportunities, runway showcases, and cross-sector collaborations to expand the industry.
Aminu noted that partnerships with government ministries, including Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Industry, Trade and Investment, Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Special Duties, would support logistics and travel for international participants.
He emphasized that the event would unveil the five emerging designers and offer a platform to pitch their brands to foreign investors for potential collaboration.
Certificates of training and empowerment will be issued through accredited skill acquisition centers and universities, providing official recognition and credibility for the designers’ brands and helping attract foreign investment.
The initiative is expected to significantly elevate the capacity of grassroots female designers, positioning them for sustainable growth and international exposure.