Dr. Mrs. Temitope Mayegun, Chief Executive Officer, Avila Group
THE TOP10 MAGAZINE FEMALE INDUSTRIAL LEADER OF THE YEAR
Dr. Mrs. Temitope Mayegun built her successful entrepreneurship on the foundation of determination and divine guidance. She had no flair for business and wasn’t interested in it either, but, according to her, God told her to quit her job as an investment banker and stock broker to go into an area she knew nothing about – manufacturing. When she decided to take a plunge, she lacked the capital to fund it, but with determination and providence she was able to overcome that handicap. And, once she started, God was at work again, directing her on every new product she has added to the company’s stable.
Today, Mrs. Mayegun is the proud Chief Executive Officer of Avila Group, a leading manufacturer of natural body care and household brands in Africa. With a diverse product portfolio spread across four divisions including Skincare, Foods & Supplements, Water & Drinks, and Fashion, she promotes holistic wellness and lifestyle.
Dr. Mayegun started Avila Naturalle in 2017 in a mini-flat with three staff; today it has grown to become the largest manufacturer of organic and skincare and beauty products, rubbing shoulders with the best in the world, with over 200 employees. From a very humble beginning, Avila Naturalle has grown to a size and capacity that enable it to place Nigeria on the world map of top skincare and beauty products manufacturing countries. From a one-product and one-division company at the time it started, the company has grown into a conglomerate with four divisions manufacturing over 400 products in skincare and beauty, food, water and drinks, as well as fashion.
Under the leadership of Temitope Mayegun, the Avila Naturalle business has experienced remarkable growth, spreading its reach and value across Africa, North America, the United Kingdom and Europe. Avila currently has over 2000 distributors in different categories, through which it has empowered thousands of individuals, mostly women who now own their steady income-generating ventures
In the West Africa, Avila has an established market in Accra, Ghana, through which it spreads to other West African countries like the Republic of Benin, Togo, etc. The company is also registered in Kenya and has commenced the registration process in Rwanda, through which it is spreading its footprint to other East African markets like Uganda, Tanzania, DR Congo, etc.
Avila has a presence in the USA through a registered distributor, who provides the distribution service to its customers across the US market. The company also has a presence in the United Kingdom through its registered distributor, who provides the distribution service to customers in this market.
Through her innovative business model, Dr. Mayegun has created a scalable and inclusive opportunity for entrepreneurs to start with as little as $50 and grow their businesses to remarkable feats. Through this venture, 20% of the beneficiaries have achieved over $10,000 in worth, 50% have reached $5,000 and others have attained $2,500.
She has impacted the lives of 10,000,000 individuals in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Benin Republic, Togo, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, DR Congo, Rwanda, the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada and some parts of Europe, providing 100% natural solutions to their skin issues. She has trained over 2,400 distributors, many of whom have achieved significant business growth.
The Avila founder/CEO has supported entrepreneurs living with disabilities, providing them with training and empowerment to harness their potential, and sponsored women’s football tournaments, promoting gender equality in sports, and successfully launching the careers of two young players into the Nigerian junior national team.
Dr. Mayegun has led the annual BE-YOU-TIFUL campaign against skin bleaching, reaching out to over 50,000 secondary school students, enlightening them, distributing products and promoting natural skincare. She has also funded medical surgeries for women in need; also partnered with the Hope Builder Foundation to create value for individuals with disabilities. She served as an ambassador for the Senior Citizens of Nigeria, promoting mental health and well-being among the elderly, and providing free health and wellness products.
Her other societal impact and value-added activities include participation in community outreaches with Abraham Seeds Medical Outreach, offering free medical services and drugs to rural communities; and providing scholarships to 25 students in rural communities, supporting vulnerable families and empowering the next generation of leaders.
A holder of a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos, she also has an MBA from the Eaton Business School. She attended the Harvard Business School where she undertook an Executive Leadership Course in ‘Leading Different and High-Performance Team’. She is also an alumnus of the Lagos Business School.
Dr. Mayegun has received many awards and recognitions including, Fellow, Chartered Administrators and Researchers of Nigeria (2024) – Institute of Leadership and Manpower, United Kingdom (2024) – UN Eminent Ambassador Award (2024). She is a recipient of two Honorary Doctorate degrees and other awards. Avila Naturalle and its products have also cartted home several awards in the last five years.
Dr. Mrs. Temitope Mayegun was selected as the Top10 Magazine’s Female Industrialist of the year in recognition of her numerous achievements as one of the emerging female leading lights driving the Nigerian industrial sector.
