Khadijah Aliyu -Nigeria
A Nigerian PhD candidate in Performance Studies at Northwestern University, USA, and founder of The Shade Initiative, Olabanke Goriola, has called for urgent, practical measures to tackle the growing challenges of colourism, harmful beauty standards, and skin bleaching in Nigeria.
She made the remarks while speaking at the African Women in Media Conference AWiM25, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Goriola, whose doctoral research examines colourism in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, said her interest in the subject deepened after discovering World Health Organisation data indicating that over 77% of Nigerian women use skin-bleaching products, the highest prevalence globally.
She explained that Eurocentric beauty standards, gendered expectations, and the glorification of light skin continue to shape the experiences and opportunities of many women, especially in entertainment.
“There is an old admiration that comes with being light-skinned, and it influences how successful you can be in the industry, who you marry, and what opportunities come your way,”
“Women are subjected to these beauty standards, often at the expense of their physical, mental, and psychological health.”
Goriola emphasised that colourism, defined as the preferential treatment of people of the same race based on skin tone, remains largely misunderstood in Nigeria, despite its deep impact.
She noted that women often face subtle but damaging forms of discrimination, including negative stereotypes, bullying, and social exclusion.
In Nollywood, she observed that dark-skinned women are frequently cast in villainous or “witch” roles, reinforcing harmful societal biases.
“Violence is not only physical. When society tells dark-skinned girls they are not beautiful or clean, that is violence,”
“These messages stay in the psyche and shape how women perceive their own worth.”
She added that some mothers bleach their babies’ skin from infancy due to pressure to conform to beauty standards another silent form of harm that often goes unaddressed.
Her conference paper examines how traditional media and digital algorithms either intentionally or inadvertently erase women, especially dark-skinned women.
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She explained that the lack of positive representation in the media fuels damaging stereotypes and contributes to systematic exclusion.
“Representation matters. I believe what I see. When a dark-skinned woman sees someone like her succeeding, she believes she can succeed too.”
She urged stakeholders, especially casting directors and producers in Nollywood, to be intentional about portraying dark-skinned women in diverse, empowering roles.
Goriola welcomed the conference’s focus on policy reforms but emphasised the need for practical implementation and measurable outcomes.
She emphasised the significance of data in shaping public perception and policymaking, noting that African societies frequently overlook issues due to a lack of reliable statistics.
“We must start collecting data to back up our claims. Data strengthens advocacy and helps create effective policies.”
Goriola also spoke about The Shade Initiative, the NGO she founded to counter colourism and promote self-confidence among girls and women.
The organisation creates safe spaces where young girls can learn to embrace their natural skin tones and resist societal pressure to bleach.
“Black is beautiful. Your shade is beautiful. You shouldn’t alter your skin to seek acceptance,”