The State of Design in Nigeria 2018 (beta)

Insights from the field

The field of design in Nigeria is a nascent space that is coming into its own. We are in the early stages but we can see a lot of rapid growth and development fuelled by an increase in the demand for design. Everyday new businesses are born and existing businesses are growing. Technology is opening new frontiers and creating more opportunities for businesses. Local companies are competing globally. More people are seeing the value of design to give their enterprises an upper hand. In response to this demand (and as a result of other factors) we are seeing a lot of designers and agencies springing up to meet the need.

This is such a critical stage in the development of any field. As with any growing field, having data and information is critical to its development. Especially in the era of big data. Hidden in data (big or small) are insights that can make those that work in the industry more aware and better able to position themselves for growth. Now, anyone that works in data in Nigeria knows that we are not great with data. Getting information on anything is such a problem. And this particular problem is one that affects design as well.

This is one problem I am trying to solve.

Last month, during the Logomarch 30 day design challenge that I organised (with Tola Alabi), I took the opportunity to conduct a survey of some of the designers that participated. Granted the sample size surveyed was really small but the survey was intended to be a microcosm, a prototype of a larger survey that needs to be carried out.

Below is an infographic that shows the summary of the information gleaned from the survey.

You can view the raw data here: https://goo.gl/fXo2Wi | Design by Me

Insights

1. 90% of all designers are men. Why don’t we have a higher participation of Women in design? or Where are the female designers? I realise that this is a fairly common question being asked in the industry right now but recently came across the work of Bolanle Banwo, a female designer who started a movement called The Female Designer Movement to tackle this very issue so I guess that we should see more female designers going forward.
2. Most designers are between 20–30 years old. Are we doing enough to raise the next generation of designers? What happens when the designers of today climb up the career ladders into design management and leadership roles? Is there a system in place that ensures that other designers will step up to fill the spaces left?
3. 50% of all designers live in Lagos. Is it a question of population? Does the high business activity of the state provide better opportunities for designers? Seems like it. Looks like a case of basic supply and demand.
4. Most designers have been practising for 3–5 years. See point one.
5. Graphic design is the most practiced type of design. Graphic design is the base design discipline from which other design disciplines evolve from. Most organisations still value design only because it provides aesthetic improvements. This is the infant stage. As the industry grows though, we will begin to see increase in some specialisations (We actually have begun to see some of these specialisations actually). Fields such as UI / UX design, product design, industrial design, design thinking, design research and ethnographic studies will rise to provide deeper value to organisations. Specialisation in design will follow development in business and the economy. The greater the demand for design, the greater the need for specialisation.
6. 60% of all designers are self-taught. There is no real avenue for formal design education in Nigeria. Now a few agencies and individuals are doing Masterclasses and other short form educational initiatives but I feel that we still need more. Long form educational opportunities and well structured mentorship/internship programmes will greatly reduce the incline of design learning and benefit the industry.
7. Most designers use Windows. I personally found this very surprising. Seeing as possessing a Macbook is the sign that you are a real designer (and not just in Nigeria even) and that you are making it. That said, the high cost of acquiring a Macbook might be the reason adoption is lower in Nigeria. Which begs the question: Are designers making enough money to be able to afford these premium machines?
8. Most used app by designers is Adobe Photoshop. Sigh. Photoshop is king. Despite the availability of numerous tools, Adobe’s most popular software offering still reigns supreme. This is because Photoshop is the go-to tool for general graphic design and as mentioned in point 5, graphic design is the biggest application of design in Nigeria right now.

Now these are just my thoughts and questions based on the information gotten from the survey.

If you would like to be a part of the proposed much wider survey on the state of design in Nigeria (2018 edition), please leave your details here and we will contact you when it’s ongoing. Thanks!

A special thank you to every designer that participated in this beta version of the State of Design. I am truly grateful.

One last thing…
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