Nigeria’s beauty and personal care industry is thriving, valued at $7.8 billion as of 2023, with expectations to reach $9.7 billion by the end of the year.
Despite the country’s significant import dependence, where $1.1 billion is spent annually on beauty care product imports, local entrepreneurs are finding success.
Even in the face of inflationary pressures and low consumer purchasing power, demand for beauty products remains resilient, driven by rising awareness of skincare solutions and a growing urban population.
In particular, the demand for organic, plant-based skincare products and clinical beauty solutions tailored to African skin is steadily increasing.
Nigerian consumers, particularly women, are becoming more educated about skincare and are seeking out products that not only cater to their unique skin needs but also promote healthy, natural beauty.
Amidst this landscape, several Nigerian beauty founders are standing out by offering organic, locally sourced products that challenge the dominance of imported, Western-centric brands.
These entrepreneurs are not only addressing the beauty needs of African consumers but are also tackling issues like the skin bleaching epidemic.
Despite limited resources and a lack of widespread investor interest, they are delivering high-quality products that resonate with the realities of African skin care.
In this piece, we highlight some of these entrepreneurs/founders(in no particular order), who are shaping the future of beauty in Nigeria and across Africa.
Joycee Awosikathe founder of Oriki Group is a dynamic Nigerian entrepreneur and power sector specialist.
She founded ORÍKÌ in 2014, an agro-beauty and wellness brand focused on harnessing Africa’s rich natural resources to create farm-to-skin products. ORÍKÌ has grown into 10 wellness spas and seven subsidiaries, including a mobile app offering on-demand wellness services.
In 2021, Joycee expanded the brand by launching the ORÍKÌ Training Institute (OTI), a leading spa training institute dedicated to supporting wellness businesses and professionals across Africa through training, consultancy, and industry standardization.
Awosika’s career spans both entrepreneurship and power sector reform. She worked with the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) on Nigeria’s power infrastructure, advising the Minister of Power. Previously, she started her career at Constellation Energy, a Fortune 100 company.
As a former Curator of the World Economic Forum’s Abuja Global Shapers Hub, Awosika led initiatives on youth employment and entrepreneurship. She is a Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Fellow, listed among Nigeria’s 100 most inspiring women, and recognized by global outlets like CNN and CNBC. Awosika earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Business Management and Economics from Goucher College, where she studied from 2003 to 2007
Leave a Comment