Silkcoat, a Turkish company, has partnered with Threads of Africa Fashion Week, a Nigerian-owned platform coordinating fashion stakeholders, to empower grassroots female fashion designers with a ₦7.5 million donation.
Silkcoat’s Marketing and Sales Manager in Nigeria, Mr Baris Yerlikaya, disclosed this at the donation presentation ceremony held on Thursday in Abuja.
He explained that the funds would support skills development, capacity building, and the establishment and growth of sustainable fashion businesses for five grassroots female designers.
Yerlikaya added that the initiative aligns with Silkcoat’s wider corporate social responsibility and empowerment goals in Nigeria.
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According to him, Silkcoat company recognises Nigeria as the giant of Africa and one of the largest fashion trade hubs on the continent, with vast creative potential capable of competing favourably on the global stage if adequately supported.
“We have been in existence in Africa since 2000 and we strongly believe in adding value to the economies of countries where we operate.
“This belief informed our decision to support the fashion industry by partnering for the 2025 Threads of Africa Fashion week,” he said.
He explained that the N7.5 million donation was designed as a direct empowerment intervention, stating that it costs an average of N1.5 million for each beneficiary to acquire professional training and establish a viable fashion business.
“We learned that it costs about N1.5 million for each student to learn and successfully start up, and that is why we are supporting five female designers with this donation which is purely an empowerment support,” Yerlikaya added.
He further disclosed that the initiative was part of several empowerment programmes being implemented by the company with a special focus on women and girls as a means of promoting inclusion, creativity and economic independence.
Yerlikaya said Silkcoat had also invested in social impact projects across Nigeria, including the sinking of over 100 water boreholes in Sokoto, Maiduguri and Kano states.
This, he said was to support access to clean water and encourage school attendance among pupils in primary and secondary schools.
He added that the company had sponsored football tournaments among painters in the same states, where participating teams were awarded N100,000 each, as part of efforts to promote unity, recreation and community development.
He said Silkcoat aims to attract more Turkish investors to Nigeria to boost local industries, create jobs and drive economic growth.
The Director of Administration at Threads Africa Fashion, Mr Aminu Aminu, thanked the Turkish firm for empowering five grassroots female designers, noting that the ₦7.5 million support would sharpen their skills, equip and brand them for global recognition, partnerships and investment.
He added that the 2025 Fashion Week, slated for the first quarter of 2026, will showcase Nigeria’s and Africa’s rich cultural heritage to a global audience.
“Threads of africa fashion week 2025 is a premier event uniting Africa’s fashion ecosystem from grassroots to top designers, fabric vendors and styling entrepreneurs.
“The event will serve as a platform for business networking, runway showcases, and cross-sector collaboration for industry expansion.
“It will be implemented through a series of collaborations and partnerships involving stakeholders from the government sector, the private sector and individual partners,” he said.
Aminu said the event will spotlight African creativity while attracting global partners and investors. He noted that engagements are ongoing with key ministries to support logistics and international participation.
He added that the event will unveil the five designers, enable them to showcase and pitch their brands to foreign investors, and award certificates from government-accredited institutions to boost credibility and investment appeal.
NAN/Oluchi