The Problem

In Nigeria, over 50% of youths are unemployed according to the National Bureau of Statistics of 2022. At the same time, migration to cities by rural unemployed youth has been heavily increasing. In addition, underemployment is higher in rural areas compared to urban areas with most youth relying on seasonal, informal and subsistent agriculture. Consequently, Nigeria’s informal sector accounts for 93% of all employment in the country.

Moreover, the country has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world. A 2022 UNESCO report noted that approximately 20 million Nigerian individuals are not enrolled in school, creating a deficit in the quality of Nigeria’s education system. The nation’s education system fails to equip learners with skills needed for employment. Most youth lack entrepreneurial and digital skills that are in demand in the labour market.  

Additionally, the inexistent funding and access to finance has led many youths to abandon their business ideas. Most youth halt business pursuits even after being trained in entrepreneurial skills due to lack of funding. Finally, in some rural areas, cultural and social norms do not encourage single and/or married young women being away from their families for work. Consequently, husbands are the biggest hinderance to women getting employment especially in Northern Nigeria. 

The Solution

Through this project, Couture Living Limited aims to convert informal roles to formal within the fashion industry. They will do this by utilizing the following four approaches: 

1. Technology Approach: Scaling production capacity of the fashion business by 1000% in the next two years by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the production process and increasing the digital literacy level of skilled workers.  
2. White Label Manufacturing and Retail Agent Model will create employment for 350 women in rural communities through entrepreneurship by providing ready fashion inventory for women to start their own fashion retail businesses using their own branding. With Retail Agent Model, hundreds of retailers can sell the products under different brand names and earn decent livelihoods. These retailers will also be trained in digital skills and entrepreneurial soft skills. Additionally, the model gives an opportunity for women to sell from the convenience of their homes, thus encouraging remote work and flexible working hours. 
3. Digitally Enabled Agent Network App is an easy to use, GPS-enabled digital application. With retail agents dispersed across 3 states, the app will support off-site/remote supervision of the retail agents’ business performance, sales logs and inventory management.  
4. Start-up funding and training: The project will set up retail outlets and hire 70 retail outlet managers to manage and monitor retail agents across the communities with access to funding and training in digital marketing and other entrepreneurial skills. This will provide indirect jobs for 30 young retail assistants. 

In total, the project will create 800 jobs for youth, of which 600 will be for women.