Modinat is the brand owner of Meccamedfabrics, where she sells quality fabrics for occasions. She holds a degree in Building Construction from the University of Lagos (UNILAG)
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Modinat Abiodun Olu-Ajayi is the brand owner of Meccamedfabrics, a business she started in 2007 after graduating from the University of Lagos with a degree in Building Construction.
At Tejusho Shopping Plaza, Yaba, where she sells quality fabrics for all occasions, she said her passion for fashion, beautiful textiles, and helping people bring their dream outfits to life, inspired her choice of business.
She told TheNiche in an interview that she began by buying fabrics from AliExpress and reselling them from home. “As the business grew, I established direct relationships with suppliers and later began ordering directly from factories.”
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After graduating from UNILAG, she searched for a paid job for a while, but when she couldn’t find any, she opted for business. Modinat had been selling fashionable items like clothes, bags, shoes, and gold while in school, so settling for business was not new for her. “I have been selling stuff like clothes, bags, shoes, gold, etc., because I love fashion. So, when I graduated, I searched for a paid job for a while, but when I didn’t see any, I didn’t go far in searching. I just settled for business because I love business,” she said.
The business started from home. Now, thousands of women within and outside Nigeria seek out her fabrics to celebrate their special occasions.
Capital
Sourcing capital was a major challenge for Modinat at the beginning, but she found a way around it by reinvesting her profits. “Sourcing capital was a major challenge at the beginning. Instead of spending my profits, I used them to buy more fabrics, which has helped the business grow over time,” she said.
Penetrating the market
Getting her products into the market at the beginning wasn’t easy for the brand owner of MeccamedFabrics because customers preferred buying from established and popular brands. “Convincing them that I could provide the same high-quality fabrics was difficult and discouraging. But with God on my side, family members started buying from me and even trusted me with Aso-ebi for family events, and I didn’t let them down. Friends also patronized me,” she said.
Consistency, honesty, and delivering quality products helped Modinat retain customers and secure referrals who, she said, ended up becoming her loyal customers. “I gradually earned their trust and built a strong customer base,” she said.
Unforgettable experience
For Modinat, her unforgettable experience was when she customized a fabric for customers, and after approving the design before production, the customer changed their mind when the fabrics arrived. “They changed their mind and said they no longer liked them. We had over 100 yards of this fabric, so I was really sad and down, but thankfully, they decided to share it, and it came out beautifully well”, she recalled.
Breakthrough
Modinat’s breakthrough came during the COVID-19 lockdown. “Like many business owners, I was worried that sales would stop, but to my surprise, people continued ordering fabrics even while staying at home. I made sales during that period, and it gave me the confidence that my business could thrive even during difficult times,” she said.
Running business in Nigeria
The brand owner of MeccamedFabrics said her challenge in running a business in Nigeria is having to convince people that she is capable of delivering exactly the quality they want. “Building trust takes time, especially in a competitive market. The economic situation is also affecting business because people no longer buy as they used to,” she said.
Japa
Modinat said she would prefer to put in more effort and explore as many opportunities as possible to make it work in Nigeria rather than relocating abroad to start all over again. “After spending years building my business, starting all over again in another country is quite scary,” she said.
Brief about Modinat
Modinat is the brand owner of Meccamedfabrics, where she sells quality fabrics for occasions. She holds a degree in Building Construction from the University of Lagos (UNILAG). She has apprentices and workers.
She can be reached through meccamedfabrics.com
