As a young, educated, religious, fashion-forward, and African Muslim woman, I enjoyed reading, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Aquila magazine. I was an avid Fashion TV viewer and an only shopping junkie. However, as I grew older, I realized that there were no publications available which truly represented me. I spoke to other women like myself, conducted surveys, and after months of agonizing and complaining, Hayati Magazine was born.

My target is Muslim women between the ages of 18 and 34 years, from African descent, technology savvy, minimum of a high school education, and seeking financial freedom. Although Hayati is accessible to all via social media and it’s online platform, readers require a minimum level of education and technical skills. Therefore, I want women who do not have these skills to aspire to have them, so they can be part of the Hayati Community, and ultimately improve their lives.

I first created an Instagram account in August 2012. After the rapid success of the account, its followers soon began to demand a blog. In September 2012, I designed and launched www.hayationline.com. In November 2012, I designed and began to publish quarterly publications. In 2013 I registered the company and secured the domain name www.hayatimagazine.com. In 2014, I launched the Hayati Summer Internship Program. In 2015, one of Hayati’s editorials was featured in Vogue Italia. In 2016, I was nominated for the Future Award in Media Enterprise for my work with Hayati. In 2017, I launched Hayati print, and in 2018, Hayati partnered with media giant Bella Naija to produce content geared towards young Muslim women.

Hayati is now a household name and is continuing to gain recognition across Northern Nigeria. Brands including Nestle, Pandora, Vlisco, Lulu, and many more have partnered with Hayati to reach a wider audience. Young African Muslim women are proud and happy that such a publication exists, and many are hoping to use it as a platform to share their respective talents and achievements with the world.