“77% of Nigerian Women Bleach Their Skin”- Beverly Naya Reveals Why She Took Her Fight Against Colorism to the World

Nollywood actress Beverly Naya has revealed why she decided to tackle colorism on a global scale, saying harmful beauty standards continue to pressure many Nigerian women into bleaching their skin.

Speaking in an interview, Naya claimed that 77% of Nigerian women bleach their skin, describing the statistic as evidence of a society that often places lighter skin above darker complexions.

According to her, “There’s this hierarchy of beauty according to complexion, where it’s like the lighter you are, the better. Culturally, you know, in society, it’s there.”

The actress explained that she viewed colorism as another form of bullying, noting that many people used derogatory names for dark-skinned individuals without realizing there was a term for such discrimination.

“People knew that you could literally look at a dark-skinned person, and you would say, ‘Oh, Blackie,’ and it was derogatory, it was offensive, but there was nothing to define what that act was. But then it was colorism, and they didn’t know what it was.”

Naya said her documentary was created to educate people about colorism, highlight the dangers of skin bleaching, and encourage individuals to embrace their natural skin tone.

“The whole idea was just to inspire people to love the complexion that they’re in and appreciate themselves for who they are,” she said.

She also recalled that the documentary was released on Netflix shortly after the death of George Floyd, a period that helped amplify its global impact.

“Naturally, it blew up. So many people watched it, and the impact was insane,” she added, noting that the overwhelming response inspired her to continue advocating for self-love and challenging colorism.