Prominent businesswoman, fashion entrepreneur, and founder of Ziva Lagos, Tania Omotayo, has ignited an online debate on what she describes as a glaring double standard on social media platforms.
In a viral video clip, Omotayo questions why users enthusiastically tag international luxury brands such as Prada, Chanel, Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci in their outfit posts, often providing free, valuable exposure to multi-billion-dollar corporations yet hesitate or refuse to credit Nigerian designers unless compensated.
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“It’s ironic how people freely tag big international brands like Prada, Bottega, and Chanel for free on their Instagram videos, but refuse to tag Nigerian designers unless they’re paid, even though those local brands actually need the support,” Omotayo stated in the footage.
She pointed out that global corporations thrive without needing shoutouts from individual users, while emerging Nigerian creatives rely heavily on organic visibility to build their customer base, grow sales, and compete in a challenging market. Omotayo stressed that no one is obligated to promote any brand, but the selective tagging reveals deeper biases against homegrown talent.
The post has ignited reactions across platforms, with many Nigerians agreeing it’s a systemic issue hindering the fashion industry’s local growth. Below are reactions from Nigerians as regarding the topical issue:
