By day, Eniola Naomi Ayoade balances spreadsheets as a 9–5 accountant. In between, the Kwara State University graduate runs an online store for women’s tops. She launched the side hustle in August 2025 to create an extra income stream.
By Eberechi Obinagwam
By day, Eniola Naomi Ayoade balances spreadsheets as a 9–5 accountant. In between, the Kwara State University graduate runs an online store for women’s tops. She launched the side hustle in August 2025 to create an extra income stream.
It wasn’t her first attempt at e-commerce. Speaking to TheNiche in an interview, Eniola revealed she started out selling men’s shoes online but switched when sales dropped drastically.
“When I noticed sales dropped drastically with men’s shoes, I had to switch. I didn’t want to sell random female wear. I decided to niche down to comfortable tops because I like dressing casually and feeling comfortable in what I wear. I also saw they were in high demand—most ladies wear them to work, school, everywhere. So, I started with that,” she explained.
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Eniola is now the brand owner of HerFit.ng, juggling her 9–5 with a business that is gaining traction within and outside Lagos State. She plans to leave her regular job soon to focus more on her business.
Sourcing capital
The brand owner of HerFit.ng said capital wasn’t a major issue because she had savings from her paid job and also received support from family. Her main challenge, she noted, was skepticism about the outcome of investing her savings in stock.
“I didn’t want to tie down my money for too long. I was thinking, if I used my savings to stock up goods, would I be able to sell them? I was just skeptical,” she said.
Penetrating the market
Eniola acknowledged that breaking into the market was challenging because it is a saturated space where many people sell similar products. However, she believes she stands out because of her focus on quality. She said it took more than a month to sell her first stock. “It didn’t go fast. I had to carry it to church and increase my posting before people finally knew me for selling tops,” she said.
Dealing with a difficult customer
The brand owner of HerFit.ng shared an experience she had with a customer that led to a disagreement. According to her, the customer reached out asking for a top that would fit her, stating she was a size 18. Eniola sent one of her tops, but the customer later complained that it was too small.
“The kind of stuff I sell is mostly one-size because they are stretchy tops; they don’t come in different sizes. Before ordering, she told me she was a size 18, but when she complained, I asked her to send a photo. When she did, I saw she was more than size 18—closer to size 20—and even at that, the top was still okay on her. That caused a little quarrel between us, but in the end, we resolved it. Up till now, she still buys tops from me,” she said.
Breakthrough
Eniola said getting customers through social media is not always easy, especially when starting a new Instagram account. Fortunately, she landed a major early sale. “When I opened the account, people were not following me. At some point, I had just 14 followers and wasn’t expecting anything. Then a customer reached out on Instagram and bought 10 tops at once. That encouraged me. I realised my posts were reaching people. It inspired me so much because it was my first customer outside Lagos. It was a breakthrough, and since then, I have been doing better,” she enthused.
Business challenges
Fluctuating prices and the high cost of transportation remain major challenges for Eniola in running her business in Nigeria. She noted that these factors ultimately affect the prices she offers customers.
Japa
Despite the trend of relocation, Eniola believes she can succeed in Nigeria. “I have people I look up to in business, and they are doing very well here in Nigeria. If you go on Instagram, you will see vendors doing well. Nobody talks about their bad days, but they are still doing good. So, I have faith that I will keep running my business here and I will make it. My plan is to expand and quit my 9–5 to focus more,” she said.
Eniola’s brief profile
Eniola hails from Ilorin, Kwara State. She holds a degree in Accounting from Kwara State University. She currently manages her routine 9-5 job alongside her business and is the founder of HerFit.ng, where she sells fashionable tops for women.
