Pearl Ubani’s brand (24), Myria Gee, was already profitable when she entered the tenth season of The Next Titan, Africa’s premier entrepreneurial reality TV show. But the ₦40 million prize promised more than just a windfall. It offered the chance to accelerate her vision for Nigeria’s beauty manufacturing sector.
“I approached the competition strategically,” Pearl says. “I wasn’t there to rely on luck or charm. I ensured I was never on a losing team, tackled every task with full commitment, and presented a business plan so detailed it became impossible to ignore. That consistency carried me to the finale.”
From Beauty Content Creation to Manufacturing
Myria Gee’s journey began on YouTube in 2016, where Pearl shared beauty tutorials and product reviews. By 2020, she had launched Myria Gee as a full-fledged beauty brand, retailing a range of products. Two years later, she transitioned into manufacturing, with lip glosses as its flagship product.
With a postgraduate diploma in cosmetics formulation earned in 2023 and NAFDAC certification secured in 2024, she has steadily and methodically grown Myria Gee into a credible, professional beauty brand.
Pearl says, “Today, the brand has generated ₦23 million in revenue from direct sales, with 22% of that as profit, managed by a small, tight-knit team of seven overseeing production, sales, and distribution.”
Cosmetics production is capital-intensive: you need specialised formulation equipment, high-grade raw materials, rigorous stability and safety testing, and regulatory approvals before you can scale. So she started small, selling beauty and lifestyle products to fund the dream. “Moving into manufacturing required capital, technical know-how, and patience,” Pearl says.
The Reality TV Gauntlet
The tenth season of The Next Titan received over 20,000 applications. Pearl auditioned in Abuja in April 2025, and 65 of 3,000 hopefuls across Nigeria were invited to a three-day boot camp in Lagos four months later. Only 20 contestants — ten men and ten women — ultimately entered the Titan house and competed for the prize money over the course of ten weeks. The season premiered with its first episode on September 7, 2025.
Each week inside the house brought a new challenge: corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, market activations, and sponsor-driven tasks. Teams competed fiercely as they faced one truth: losing could mean eviction.
“One of the most intense challenges was a CSR project in Ajegule, Lagos,” Pearl recalls. “In 48 hours, my team had to secure a venue, gather sponsors, feed attendees, and teach local residents a skill. It was exhausting, chaotic, but it taught me that execution is possible even when the stakes are high.”
Her approach combined meticulous preparation with strategic teamwork. “I made a conscious decision to control what I could: lead tasks, ensure my team excelled, and be indispensable. It wasn’t about being the loudest; it was about being effective.”
The Winning Edge
By week 10, 15 housemates had been evicted, and only five contestants remained for the grand finale. Pearl Ubani’s meticulous business plan and execution-focused approach gave her a clear edge. On the day, each finalist presented live pitch decks and detailed strategies for scaling their businesses, with the bulk of the ₦50 million prize pool going to the winner.
Runner-up prizes were split among three finalists: ₦10 million for the first runner-up (increased on stage from the initially announced ₦5 million), ₦3 million for the second runner-up, and ₦2 million for the third runner-up.
After weeks of intense, public challenges, Myria Gee’s future and a ₦40 million non-dilutive capital injection hinged on a single question about her five-year plan. Pearl was ready. She had begun drafting her business plan right after her audition in April. By the time she stood on the stage in November, she had spent seven months refining and perfecting a 40-page blueprint for scaling her already profitable cosmetics business.
“The judges saw that Myria Gee wasn’t just an idea — it was a functioning, profitable enterprise with a clear growth trajectory,” she recalls.
Their decision was unanimous. On Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, Pearl Ubani was declared the winner of the entrepreneurial reality show.
What followed was more than a financial boost. The ₦40 million prize was a public validation of years of careful planning, relentless execution, and calculated risk-taking.
“It showed me that all the late nights, the learning curves, and the strategic decisions were paying off,” Pearl reflects.
Scaling the Business
The prize money is earmarked for strategic growth: expanding production, hiring more staff, rebranding packaging, investing in R&D for new products, and launching a B2B model for emerging brands.
“We’re working on blushes, mascara and matte liquid lipsticks, and we want to help other brands bring their products to market. Winning this funding accelerates every goal we’ve been pursuing,” she says.
Myria Gee aims to become a central player in Nigeria’s beauty manufacturing ecosystem — a homegrown alternative to locally produced, high-quality cosmetics.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Pearl emphasises readiness, strategic planning, and financial discipline.
“Track everything, revenue, expenses, all of it. When judges or investors can see the numbers, it immediately signals credibility,” she advises.
She also stresses the importance of community. “Find other business owners who can relate to your journey. You don’t always need solutions; sometimes you just need someone who understands your challenges.”
Her final piece of advice: “Just start. Learn as you go, embrace roadblocks as opportunities for learning, and focus on execution. Nothing replaces action. The only way to get better is to keep doing.”
Bottom Line
Pearl Ubani’s journey, from beauty content creator to reality TV winner and thriving entrepreneur, is a masterclass in strategic preparation, resilience, and leveraging opportunity. For Myria Gee, winning The Next Titan isn’t the finish line — it’s a launchpad for her business success in the Nigerian beauty manufacturing space.
