The growing popularity of beauty businesses has led to questions about how to start a beauty salon business in Nigeria. With so many articles on the subject, finding the one that works for you can be challenging. 

But you don’t have to worry about that now that you’ve found this comprehensive article where I’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to set up a beauty salon in Nigeria, complete with a business plan template and equipment checklist. 

But just before we jump into the guide, I’ll first explain what a salon business is and how it differs from a hair salon business. Then, I’ll answer three questions you must ask before starting a beauty salon business. 

What’s a beauty salon?

A beauty salon is a business that offers customers comprehensive beauty treatments. It typically involves:

Hair care. Products include shampoos and hair extensions, while services can range from hair styling to chemical treatment (hair colouring, permanent wave or perm, hair rebonding). See our guides on how to start a hair salon or set up a barbershop. 

Nail care. Offerings can range from services like manicures, pedicures, and nail extensions and designs to products such as nail polishes, nail removers, and press-on nails. 

Skincare treatment. Services include facials and chemical peeling, while products can include serums and moisturisers. Check out our previous article on starting up a spa business in Nigeria. 

Makeup application. Services can consist of bridal, natural look, and editorial makeup. Examples of products include eyeshadow, powders, and concealers. 

Beauty salons or hair salons: are they the same in Nigeria?

While people — even professionals in Nigeria — tend to use the two terms interchangeably, beauty salons and hair salons have distinct differences. Understanding this difference is crucial to mastering how to start a beauty salon business in Nigeria. 

Hair salons provide customers with only hair-related products and services. On the other hand, beauty salons offer more than hair care; they also provide other beauty offerings, such as skin care treatments, nail care, and makeup applications.

See our article on the difference between hair and beauty salons for a detailed explanation. 

Key questions before starting a beauty salon business in Nigeria?

Answer these three questions before starting a beauty salon in Nigeria: 

1. Do you plan to run the hair salon yourself?

Skip this question and move to the next if your answer is no. 

If yes, however, you’d need to acquire the necessary beauty and business skills to run your salon. 

You can opt for either of the following options: 

Option 1: Become a beauty professional

Since beauty salons typically require hairstylists, aestheticians, nail technicians, and makeup artists, you’d need to train to master at least one of the skills. 

To do this, you may have to learn in a training institution or apprentice under professionals for a period, which usually ranges from 6 to 24 months. While in training, you’ll learn how to deliver on the chosen beauty skill, handle equipment, and even how to run a profitable salon business. By the end of your training, you’ll be ready to start your beauty salon. 

Then, you can hire or train other professionals to join you. For instance, if you’re a hairstylist, you can hire or partner with aestheticians, nail techs and makeup artists. See more on hiring staff in “Step 6” of this article.  

Option 2: Become a manager

You don’t need to become a beauty professional just to run a beauty salon, although it helps. What you need, however, is to be proficient in managing beauty salons in Nigeria to not just survive but succeed despite economic uncertainties and constantly evolving beauty trends.   

Entrepreneurial experiences from running previous businesses can prove useful. But if you’ve never run a business, you must acquire business management skills to succeed. You can consult with established beauty salon owners (or managers), take an online course (like this one on Udemy), or do both.

2. Or do you plan to hire an expert to run things?

If you don’t have the time or bandwidth to manage the beauty salon by yourself, hiring an experienced manager is the most efficient option. A manager with expertise to oversee all the aspects of your beauty salon will go a long way to determine its profitability and ultimate success. 

Then, you or your manager can hire other staff, including beauty professionals and front desk personnel. Check “Step 6” in this article for more on hiring staff.

3. Which of the beauty services do you plan to start with? 

Recall that beauty salons feature hairstyling, skincare treatment, nail care, and makeup application. In the beginning, however, it might be difficult to offer the full beauty salon service. 

Many beauty salon owners start with at least two offerings, with plans to add more as the business grows. For example, you might launch your salon with hair care and nail care services and add skincare treatment and makeup offerings later. 

Your service offerings will determine the number or types of beauty professionals you hire and the facilities and equipment you need. 

How to start a beauty salon business in Nigeria in 8 simple steps

Starting a beauty salon business in Nigeria can be a rewarding experience, given the ample opportunities in the beauty market in the country. But first, you have to understand the market, plan properly, and make data-driven decisions. 

On that note, here’s how to set up a beauty salon in Nigeria correctly:

Step 1: Comply with regulatory requirements

Starting a beauty business in Nigeria requires that you meet all legal and regulatory requirements, including: 

Register your beauty salon with the CAC

Every business in Nigeria must register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to attain legal status. Failure to register can cost you benefits due to registered businesses, such as qualification for grants, access to loans, and credibility with investors and customers. 

See our complete guide on how to register a business in Nigeria.

Acquire TIN from the FIRS

TIN stands for Taxpayer Identification Number. It’s a unique identification number issued to registered businesses by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for tax purposes. 

To run your beauty salon business in Nigeria, you have to acquire your TIN from the FIRS to fulfil your tax obligations accordingly. Defaulting can lead to heavy fines. 

Get certificates and permits

Obtain all necessary permits, licenses and certificates for your salon businesses. 

Start with 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). 

Next, check with local government authorities for other requirements and comply accordingly. 

Buy NAFDAC-approved products

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 in Nigeria. Ensure all your beauty products are NAFDAC-approved. 

Here’s how to verify product authenticity with NAFDAC.  

Step 2: Draft a beauty salon business plan

The next step in this guide on how to start a beauty salon business in Nigeria is developing a comprehensive business plan. It’s relevant before, during, and after you start your business. 

A business plan helps you define your business objectives, outline your target market, and identify your competitive advantage. It lets you determine your salon’s product and service offerings, pricing structure, and revenue projections.

Generally, a well-thought-out business plan will serve as a roadmap for your beauty salon, guiding all decision-making processes. You can either learn how to write a business plan for a beauty salon or hire a specialist to do it for you. 

If you’re writing it yourself, download the Splice Beauty Salon Business Plan Template below to get started. 

Step 3: Raise start-up funds for your salon business

Starting a beauty salon business is resource-intensive, as you often have to set up the different aspects — hair salon, nail salon, skincare parlour, and makeup studio — and hire various beauty professionals to run it. All beauty salon expenses, from salon equipment, furniture, and supplies to staffing, marketing, and operations, must be considered. 

If you’ve been following this guide, you should have a clear idea of how much you need to start. You can raise start-up capital for your beauty salon in several ways:

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

You’ll need a business plan to obtain a loan or secure investments in your business. The business plan template above will help you get started.

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

The cost of starting a beauty salon business in Nigeria depends on several factors, including the prevailing cost of rent in the chosen neighbourhood. That said, ₦1,250,000 to ₦3,000,000 should start a small to medium-scale beauty salon in Nigeria. 

Step 4: Find a good location for your salon

Choosing the right location for your salon is critical to its success, irrespective of whether you’re buying a building for your store or renting a retail space. 

Before deciding on a location, consider several factors, such as foot traffic, visibility, parking facility, proximity to the main road, and accessibility to your target customers, staff, and suppliers. It’s also advisable to stay a decent distance from competitors offering similar services. 

Step 5: Set up salon furniture, supplies, and equipment

Every “how to set up a beauty salon in Nigeria” guide must feature procuring the necessary equipment and supplies. It should give you a hint of how important this step is. 

Once you’re sure that the ventilation, plumbing, and lighting are good to go, bring in furniture like a table and chair for the reception area, barbing chairs for clients, shelves for retail products, and wall mirrors. 

Then, get essential beauty salon supplies, including hair salon supplies, skincare supplies, nail care supplies, and makeup supplies. Lastly, when considering all the equipment needed in your beauty salon, include a standby generator in case power is interrupted.

Download the FREE beauty salon equipment checklist to get started (check “Step 2”).

Partner with distributors

You may need to contact distributors directly or through their local agents to acquire salon supplies and tools. Your business will undoubtedly benefit from ongoing partnerships with relevant distributors. Trust me, you don’t want to search for a new vendor whenever you need beauty salon equipment in Nigeria. 

Get salon management software

Good management software will streamline the daily operations of your business, automating activities like appointment booking and sending reminders to customers. A tool like Splice software will also manage customer information, oversee staff schedules, simplify payment processes, and provide insight into your salon, all in one place. 

Step 6: Employ and train salon staff

By now, you should know that you can’t run a beauty salon by yourself. You need a team of skilled, experienced, and motivated professionals. 

First, determine the number of hairstylists, aestheticians, nail technicians, and makeup artists you’d need to start. Don’t forget to add the front desk personnel. Then, advertise job openings, conduct interviews, and hire your staff. 

Endeavour to train them on your business’ core values and customer relations. Invest in ongoing training so they can keep up with modern equipment handling, the latest beauty techniques, and industry trends. 

Splice can help you manage your employees ‘ schedules effectively to keep them motivated and enhance performance. 

Step 7: Design a price list for your salon services

As a beauty business just starting out, deciding the prices for your services can be difficult. See what your competitors are charging for the same services. Visit their establishment, look them up on social media, and go on their websites. Your findings should give you an idea of what to charge. 

Also, consider your salon’s expertise and specialised services, then factor them into your pricing. 

Once you’ve settled on pricing, list all your offerings, complete with prices. Keep physical copies around your salon and post digital copies on all marketing channels, including websites and social media platforms.

Step 8: Develop a marketing strategy

Everything you’ve done so far would be useless if your target market doesn’t find out about your salon. Develop a strong brand identity for your beauty business and promote your salon to attract and retain customers. Do this by utilising both online and offline marketing channels.  

Here are some tips for marketing your beauty salon in Nigeria:

Put up signboards: This is the first step in promoting your salon and creating awareness in your community. Install a signboard in front of your salon to announce your presence.

Share flyers: It works even though many modern-day businesses consider this old school. Share flyers to invite people to check out your shop. Leave some at busy local centres like malls, cinemas, and supermarkets.

Use local advertising channels: This includes media like newspapers, magazines, radio, and community notice boards.

Build an online presence. Set up professional accounts on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Set up and optimise your Google Business Profile (Google My Business). Build a business website to utilise search engine optimisation (SEO). Post relevant content regularly and engage with your audience. 

Collaborate with local businesses. Partner with other brands to help broaden your reach and boost your brand reputation. 

Start loyalty programs. Loyalty perks like referral discounts and special promos will help you turn first-time customers into loyal brand evangelists. Splice software can help you automate and manage your loyalty programs. 

Conclusion

Launching any beauty business in Nigeria requires careful planning and excellent execution. Both are important because they set the foundation. Our step-by-step guide on how to start a beauty salon business in Nigeria will equip you with the necessary strategies to set up a successful salon. 

As you kick off your beauty salon, allow Splice to help you automate your day-to-day operations so you can focus on delighting your customers.