AYKO Founders Ayoola Bakare and Koya Onagoruwa: Shaping the Future of Africa’s Modeling and Talent Ecosystem
In the dynamic landscape of African fashion and talent, AYKO stands out as a beacon of innovation and opportunity. Founded by Ayoola Bakare and Koya Onagoruwa, the agency is redefining the modelling industry by bridging the gaps in Africa’s creative ecosystem. With a shared passion for creativity and a wealth of experience in finance, corporate leadership, and modelling, Ayoola and Koya are on a mission to empower young creatives, fostering a new generation of talent that is both professionally equipped and economically valued. As partners at the FashionEVO Summit & Show 2025, they share their insights on the challenges facing Africa’s modelling industry, the importance of business literacy, and their vision for a sustainable and thriving creative economy.
Ayoola Bakare and Koya Onagoruwa
- AYKO was born out of your shared passion and unique backgrounds in finance, corporate leadership, and modelling. What gap(s) did you both see in Africa’s modelling and talent ecosystem that pushed you to start the agency?
AYKO was born out of who we are, bringing together our different but complementary backgrounds in finance, corporate leadership, and the creative industries. From the start, we saw the gap in Africa’s creative sector: incredible raw talent, but very little structure to support or sustain it.
AYKO was built to bridge that gap, connecting the dots and providing the professionalism, visibility, and access that young creatives need. Alongside the agency, we created African Talent Discovery (ATD), our yearly commitment to investing in Africa’s creative economy. If it’s not about scouting talent, it’s about creating conversations and building structure. Because ATD is free to apply, it removes barriers and opens the door to people who might otherwise never be seen. One of our early talents, for example, submitted photos from her hometown, and today she’s in the UK shooting international campaigns. That is the heart of AYKO: creating access where it doesn’t exist and turning potential into opportunity.
- You’ve described creativity as an “untapped economic powerhouse” for Africa. In your view, what’s stopping it from fully translating into GDP growth today?
The gap is not in creativity; Africa is overflowing with that. The gap lies in systems, including policy support, financing, intellectual property protection, and cross-border opportunities. Too much of the industry remains informal, so its true economic value doesn’t show up in GDP. Young people are creating, working, and even exporting culture, but without investment and proper frameworks, the numbers are underreported, and the sector is under-supported.
At our 2023 Nigerian Creative Economy event, we published research that highlighted these challenges. The encouraging part is that between then and now, we’ve seen progress, more infrastructure, more recognition, and greater interest from investors. But for creativity to fully translate into growth, it needs to be treated with the same seriousness as oil, agriculture, or fintech. That is what we advocate for through ATD: proving that creativity is not just cultural, it’s economic.
Ayoola Bakare
- Talent discovery is at the heart of AYKO. Beyond physical attributes, what qualities do you look for when identifying “true potential” in a model or creative?
Of course, in modelling the physical matters, but true potential goes far beyond that. What we look for is character, discipline, and professionalism. Can someone show up on time, communicate effectively, and maintain consistency? That’s what makes the real difference.
Even in today’s industry, you can see the shift. It’s not just about looks anymore, it’s about what you bring beyond that. The consistency and commitment you give to your craft are what make you exceptional and what attract people to you. Through ATD, especially in our bootcamps, we’ve seen talents grow in this way, and that’s when you know you’ve found true potential.
- You’ve worked between London and Lagos. How do you two see African talent being perceived abroad versus at home? And what shifts are still needed for global recognition to feel fair and sustainable?
Working between London and Lagos has revealed two distinct yet equally inspiring landscapes. London has incredible talent and a structured industry. Lagos has raw, untapped energy, a kind of je ne sais quoi you don’t find anywhere else.
The challenge is that abroad, there can still be ignorance or low expectations of African talent, even though much of what inspires the world already originates on the continent. The shift we want to see is Africa building its own systems and infrastructure, so recognition doesn’t depend on leaving home. Whether it’s London or Lagos, the talent is there. However, Africa has something unique that the world is only just beginning to truly appreciate.
- Many agencies focus on representation; yours also focuses on equipping talents with business literacy and leadership skills. Why do you believe this extra layer of training is critical for creatives today?
Representation alone isn’t enough. Having been in the industry ourselves, we know it can look glamorous on the outside, but it is often unstable and unfair behind the scenes. Too many young creatives step in unprepared and get taken advantage of.
That’s why we place so much emphasis on the business side of creativity, focusing on literacy and leadership skills that sustain a career. It’s at the heart of what we do, even within ATD. If we’re not discovering talent, we’re bringing in experts to teach and mentor. Talent might open the door, but it’s knowledge and leadership that keep it open, helping people maintain longevity in their careers.
Koya Onagoruwa
- FashionEVO at ACM 2025 is about bridging creativity, community, and commerce. As partners, what excites you most about this platform, and how does it align with AYKO’s vision?
What excites us about FashionEVO is that it isn’t just a showcase of creativity, it’s a platform that brings together creativity, community, and commerce in one space. That speaks directly to our vision at AYKO.
From the start, we’ve believed talent alone is not enough. You need ecosystems, networks, and opportunities that make creativity sustainable. That’s why with ATD, we don’t just scout; we also create conversations and learning spaces. FashionEVO reflects that same philosophy, showing how creativity can also drive business and build communities.
Most of all, it’s a chance to demonstrate how African talent can sit on the global stage not only as culture-makers but as real economic contributors.
- You hosted the AYKO Symposium with a strong focus on “Creative Minds, Business Solutions.” How do you see summits like FashionEVOs at the African Creative Market carrying that conversation forward on a continental scale?
When we hosted the AYKO Symposium, the idea was to go beyond inspiration and really focus on solutions. We brought creatives who had grown and built in Nigeria together with experts from the UK and the wider international space, so there was real comparison and honesty in the room. It wasn’t just about listening; it was about giving people next steps, tools, and connections they could use.
That’s why FashionEVO excites us, it carries that same conversation to a continental scale. It’s a chance to bring even more voices into the room, to compare local and international perspectives, and to ensure young creatives don’t just walk away inspired but equipped.
- If a young creative walks away from the FashionEVO Summit and Show having learned one thing from AYKO, what do you hope it is?
We hope they leave with the belief that their creativity has real value — not just cultural value, but economic value too.
At AYKO, we always say talent opens the door, but structure and knowledge keep it open. If a young creative walks away knowing they are seen and that with discipline and consistency, they can build something lasting, then we’ve done our job.
- Where do you see the African modelling and talent industry in the next five years, and what role do you want AYKO to play in shaping it?
In the next five years, we see Africa’s modelling and talent industry moving into a space where recognition doesn’t just come from abroad, but from what’s already happening at home. You only have to look at the AMVCAs, the red-carpet fashion was trending widely, from TikTok to international commentators. The same with Africa’s Fashion Weeks and creative hubs.
AYKO’s role is to build on that energy, through ATD and our agency, discovering talent, giving them structure, and connecting them to opportunities locally and globally. The future is about Africa shaping its own story and being recognised on its own terms.
- Finally, if you could reimagine the future of African fashion through the eyes of AYKO, what would that future look like?
For us, the future of African fashion is one where our creativity doesn’t just participate in global culture but sets the tone for it. It’s a future where our designers, models, and creatives don’t need to leave home to be validated, because the infrastructure and opportunities exist right here.
We see African fashion leading conversations, setting trends, and being recognised as an economic powerhouse as well as a cultural one. AYKO’s role is to keep connecting the dots, discovering talent, building structure, and opening doors, so that vision becomes reality.
As we look ahead to the future of African fashion, the insights from Ayoola Bakare and Koya Onagoruwa illuminate a path toward a more structured and sustainable industry. With AYKO’s commitment to talent discovery and empowerment, the founders envision a thriving creative economy where African talent is recognised not just for its cultural richness but also for its significant economic contributions. Their efforts at the FashionEVO Summit & Show signal a pivotal moment in the industry, one that champions the potential of young creatives and ensures that African fashion continues to lead in global conversations. Together, they are not just shaping the future of modelling; they are paving the way for a new narrative, one that celebrates the depth and breadth of African creativity on the world stage.
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