If you’re looking to turn your passion for nail care into a business or simply want a beauty business idea, you should consider opening a nail salon. However, turning that passion or idea into a profitable venture will require you to know how to start a nail salon business in Nigeria.

A nail salon, otherwise known as a nail studio, is a speciality beauty establishment that provides manicures, pedicures, and nail enhancement. It typically involves cleaning, shaping (trimming, filing and cuticle care), beautifying (nail polish application and nail art), and maintaining fingernails and toenails.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to set up a nail salon business, following a step-by-step process from acquiring the necessary skills and experience to hiring qualified and motivated staff. You’ll also get a free business plan template and a complete list of equipment needed for nail salons. 

How to start a nail salon business in Nigeria in 8 steps

Step 1: Acquire skills and experience 

Do you want to manage the salon yourself or hire a manager?

Skip to the next step if you’re getting a manager. 

Otherwise, put your plans on hold while you go to a beauty school or apprentice with an established nail technician for a set time — usually between three to six months. 

Besides skills and relevant professional experience, an apprenticeship will offer you insight into personnel, customer, and day-to-day operation management. The training will give you a better understanding of the profession’s unique demands, ultimately improving your chances of success as a beauty entrepreneur. 

You’ll be ready to set up your nail studio by the end of your training, which brings us to the next step. 

Step 2: Meet regulatory requirements

There are laws and regulations you must comply with before setting up your nail salon in Nigeria. The following are the main ones:

I. Register your business name

Establish the legal identity of your nail salon by registering it with Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Failure to do this will cost you benefits due to registered businesses, including grant qualification, loan accessibility, and business credibility — which can cause you to lose customers and potential investors.

See our complete guide on registering your business name in Nigeria.

II. Pay your taxes

After business registration, get a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). All registered businesses in Nigeria are mandated to get one for tax purposes. Failure to do this can lead to heavy fines.

III. Get permits

Obtain a fire safety certificate from the state fire service and an environmental permit from the Federal Ministry of Environment or State Environmental Protection Agencies (SEPA). Then, comply with your local government authorities for other relevant requirements.

IV. Buy NAFDAC-approved product

In Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) regulates and controls the manufacturing, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale, and use of beauty products. Ensure all the products you use and sell in your nail salon are NAFDAC-approved.

Here’s how to verify product authenticity with NAFDAC.  

Step 3: Write a nail salon business plan

Setting up any beauty business in Nigeria demands proper preparation; a nail salon is no exception. 

You need a well-crafted business plan to navigate the early stages of your salon, helping you determine your target market, define your business goals, and identify potential problems, among others. Additionally, it can help you secure financing from investors and financial institutions. 

Your business plan should also cover everything from estimated expenses and projected profits to marketing strategies and employee management. You can hire a business consultant to write one for you or can develop one yourself. 

Download our Nail Salon Business Plan Template below if you’re writing it yourself. 

Step 4: Raise start-up capital

Your business plan should show you how much you need to set up your nail salon. It should typically comprise equipment and supply purchases, rent, and employee salaries. 

Various financing options are available, such as:  

• Personal savings.
• Loans from licensed financial institutions (avoid illegal or dodgy loan platforms). 
• Money from investors. 
• Gifts from loved ones. 

In Nigeria, several government and private initiatives like this provide grants to support small businesses like your nail salon.  

How much does it cost to open a salon in Nigeria?

No “how to start a nail salon business” is complete without giving a thought to how much it’ll cost. Starting any business requires money. Fortunately, nail salons tend to be less expensive than other beauty businesses like spas and barbing salons. 

The setup cost of a nail salon in Nigeria will depend on several factors, such as rent and furniture. A small-scale nail salon should cost anywhere between ₦1,000,000 and ₦3,000,000. 

Step 5: Find a suitable location 

Location is critical to the success of your nail salon. While factors like budget constraints and availability of prime areas can impact your search, ensure you get the best spot possible. 

Consider the following when picking a location:

I. Prioritise high-traffic area

Find a spot with high foot traffic. Busy streets, commercial complexes, malls, or any locations people often visit are ideal.

II. Ensure easy access

Ideally, you want to pick a location that’s easily accessible to your target market, suppliers, and employees. If parking is a hassle and traffic is always thick on the way to your salon, potential customers might think it’s not worth the trouble. 

IV. Avoid competition

Your chances won’t be good if you face off with your competition that early in your business. As much as possible, set up shop away from competition and allow your business time to gather momentum. 

Step 6: Purchase furniture, supplies & equipment

As soon as you confirm the ventilation, plumbing, and lighting, It’s time to bring your nail salon to life. 

Bring the furniture

Include a table and chair for the reception area, shelves for retail products, wall mirrors, manicure tables, and pedicure chairs. Invest in ergonomic chairs for your staff. 

Get supplies

Stock up on nail salon supplies such as nail polish, remover, cotton pads, disinfectants, towels, hand soap, acetone, and moisturisers. Make sure to buy high-quality products so your customers are satisfied with the results.

You can partner with a wholesale supplier to get your salon supplies at discounted prices. 

Acquire equipment

You’ll need tools like nail clippers, files, buffers, toe separators, and scissors. Your salon will also benefit from UV light lamps to cure gel nails. Also, a standby generator is a must-have in most parts of Nigeria.

Download our Nail Salon Equipment Checklist above to get started (under “Step 3”). 

Install salon management software

Get software to streamline your salon operations, automate appointment booking with automated reminders, manage customers and staff, process payments, and provide insight into your salon. 

An all-in-one tool like Splice will help you do all that, saving time to focus on your customers. 

Step 7. Determine service offerings

Decide on the services your salon will offer to customers. They can include manicures, pedicures, nail extensions, nail art, and hand & foot massages. 

Your job is to research which services are in demand among your target customers or in the area you set up shop, find out what your competitors are offering along with prices, and find a way to stand out. 

As a new nail business, setting your prices can be challenging at first. A helpful starting point is to compare your competitors’ prices for the same services. Then, consider your salon’s expertise, overhead expenses, and prevailing economic reality. Ensure your pricing is competitive and your service is excellent.  

Lastly, create a service menu complete with prices. Upload a digital copy across your online channels and leave physical copies around your salon for your customers to easily access. 

Sell nail salon supplies

Beyond offering services, sell salon products and tools to diversify your revenue streams. Items like press-on nails, acrylic nails, nail polishes, nail files, etc., are in high demand among beauty customers. 

Step 8. Hire staff

It’s common for nail salons to start with the owner as the only personnel. Sooner or later, however, you’ll need extra sets of hands to help you take on some of the workload. 

When that time comes, determine the necessary staff size and ensure to hire a team of skilled and motivated technicians. Due to the business’s highly personal nature, you must enforce strict professionalism. Take personalities, passions, and credentials into account during the hiring phase. 

Splice can help you manage the schedule of your staff, complete with a mobile app they can take with them to keep track. 

Conclusion

Starting a nail salon business can be a profitable venture with proper planning, execution, and necessary assistance. Our guide on how to start a nail salon business in Nigeria consists of the strategies to take your business idea from planning to execution. 

As for assistance, let Splice streamline your daily operations, managing and automating various aspects of your business.