Tolu Ajayi: From event planning to interior design practice in Lagos

Tolu Oke

Tolulope Ajayi, professionally known as Tolu Ajayi, is a Lagos-based interior designer whose career reflects a gradual transition from event planning into residential and commercial interior design. Born on 10 January 1989 in Ile-Ife, Osun State, she hails from Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State and currently resides in Lagos.

Tolu received her secondary education at Methodist Girls’ High School, Yaba, Lagos. She later attended the University of Lagos, where she studied Physics Education and completed her degree during the 2015/2016 academic session. Her academic background in science education is distinct from her eventual professional focus, highlighting a shift from formal training to a creative industry driven largely by practice and experience.

Tolu’s Operations are primarily based in Lagos, with projects successfully executed both within and outside the state. Interior design services initially functioned as a complementary line of work alongside event-related activities, before being formally established TTA Designs in 2019. Over the subsequent five years, she has remained active in the field, building her professional identity primarily around interior design rather than event planning.

Tolu’s career trajectory reflects a pattern seen among many practitioners in Nigeria’s creative and design sectors, where professionals transition from related fields and formalize their practice after gaining practical experience. Her work history illustrates a move from event-based aesthetics to more permanent interior spaces, aligning with the broader growth of the interior design industry in urban centers such as Lagos.

As of now, Tolu Ajayi continues her work as an interior designer, operating from Lagos and maintaining professional ties to her Osun State origins. Her career path underscores the role of experience-driven entry into Nigeria’s creative industries, as well as the increasing diversification of professional backgrounds within the interior design space.