Many people make the mistake of opening a barbershop without first learning the intricacies of how to start a barbing salon in Nigeria. It’s often driven by the misconception that opening a barbing salon business is easy and needs little to no planning. This couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Like every other beauty business, starting a barbing salon business in Nigeria requires thorough planning and execution. Otherwise, the business stands a low chance of survival.  

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll provide a step-by-step roadmap on how to start a barber shop in Nigeria, complete with a FREE business plan template and an equipment checklist. This guide will come in handy whether you’re a newcomer in the industry or a seasoned entrepreneur looking to establish a new business.

What is a barbing salon?

Also known as a barbershop, a barbing salon is a commercial establishment where people — predominantly men — visit to groom their hair for a fee. Provided by a trained barber, hair grooming typically includes haircuts, hair styling, hair colouring and dyeing, beard trims, and other hair maintenance. 

Next, let’s see why you might want to start one in Nigeria right now. 

Is it a good idea to start a barbing salon in Nigeria?

Exploring the lucrative business of barbing salons is a smart move, especially considering Africa’s booming grooming industry — including barbing salons — which is projected to reach $3.1 billion in 2024. Given that Nigeria has the largest population on the continent, the country is expected to see the biggest growth. 

However, only businesses with the proper foundation will be well-positioned to take advantage of this opportunity. 

So, how do you start a barbing salon in Nigeria to ensure that it’s prepared? 

Read on to find out.

What do you need before starting a barbing salon in Nigeria?

Before we get right to the specifics of how to start a barbing salon in Nigeria, let’s discuss the two things you need to take care of first. 

#1. Acquire necessary training

What you do at this stage depends on the model you want to operate your salon on. 

Train to become a barber

This is the most common approach in Nigeria.  

You start as a barber, where you learn how to groom hair for a set period (usually between six to 24 months) under the guidance of an expert barber or an institution. During your apprenticeship, you’ll learn everything from how to handle and use barbing salon equipment to how to run a business and stay profitable.

After your apprenticeship, you’re ready to start your barbing salon. As you open your salon and your business begins to grow, you can hire or train other barbers to help you take on more customers.   

Train to become a manager

With this approach, you don’t have to worry about learning how to cut and style hair. 

You get straight to learning how to manage a barbing salon. If you’ve managed a business before, the experience will prove useful here. Otherwise, you’ll have to be trained from scratch. You can consult with existing barbing salon owners or even take an online course (like this one on Alison).

That said, if you don’t have the time or capacity to do either, you can simply hire an experienced manager and barbers to help you get things started. Read more on hiring staff in step 6.

#2. Join relevant unions

Across Nigeria, there are local unions you can join to make the establishment of your barbershop easier. Now, this is not compulsory, but it’s, however, advisable to join at least one as they often offer resources that will make establishing your barbing salon more seamless. 

You can also register with the National Association of Hair and Beauty Practitioners of Nigeria (NAHBPON) to get the necessary support to establish your shop. NAHBPON is registered under the Trade Unions Act – CHAPTER T14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. Their function includes regulating operators and activities in the hair and beauty industry and representing all stakeholders’ interests. 

Now, let’s get to how to start up a barber shop in Nigeria. 

How to start a barbing salon in Nigeria in 9 simple steps

Here’s how to start a barbing salon business in Nigeria: 

Step 1: Register your barbing salon with the CAC

Once you have a name for your barbing salon, the first step is to register it with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). It’s a requirement for your business to obtain a legal identity in Nigeria.

To complete your registration, the CAC will ask you to provide information about yourself and your business, such as business name, phone, email and address, business structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, partnership), and owner(s) credentials. Afterwards, the commission will issue you a certificate.

Avoid starting your barbing salon without registering it with the government. Otherwise, you could lose out on benefits like a legal identity, business protection, corporate account eligibility, loans and grants accessibility, and credibility with investors. 

See our step-by-step guide on how to register your business name in Nigeria to see how you can register your barbing salon. 

Step 2: Obtain necessary authorisation

Further compliance with legal requirements is crucial for operating a barbing salon in Nigeria. For instance, you’ll need to obtain relevant licenses and permits, such as 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). 

Ensure that all the hair and skin care products you use at your salon are approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which regulates and controls the manufacturing, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale, and use of beauty products. Always verify product authenticity with NAFDAC before you use or sell to customers. 

Lastly, acquire a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Fulfil your tax obligations as and when due; do this to avoid paying heavy fines. 

Step 3: Develop a barbing salon business plan

Many barbing salons in Nigeria open shop without any clear plan. That won’t be you because you’re reading this article.

Get a detailed barbing salon business plan to serve as a roadmap for your venture. You can write it yourself or get someone to do it for you. Businesses that follow a strategic plan are more likely to survive the first few years.

Your barbing salon business plan should cover components like market research, competitor analysis, service and product offerings, financial plans, and marketing strategies. 

Download the Splice Business Plan Template in step 6.

Step 4: Secure start-up capital

Starting a barbing salon is not as resource-intensive as starting a spa business or opening a beauty reseller shop. Nonetheless, it still requires a solid financial plan. 

Common sources of start-up capital for your salon are personal savings, gifts from family and friends, investments, and grants (e.g., the $5,000 grant from the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme). 

The scale of your barbing salon will generally determine how you raise funds for it. For instance, barbing salon owners who start on a small scale tend to rely on personal savings and goodwill from loved ones. Conversely, the ones who start on a large scale typically take loans or seek investment in addition to other sources like personal savings and gifts.

A business plan will increase your chances of getting a loan from licensed institutions (please, avoid illegal or dodgy loan platforms) and convince your investors to help you with start-up funds. 

The barbing salon business plan template above will help you get started.

Step 5: Choose a prime location

Where you choose to set up your barbing salon is crucial to its success. 

A good rule of thumb is to find a spot in a residential area with high foot traffic. Also, confirm that the chosen location has all the basic facilities, such as a toilet, bathroom, and power. 

Wherever you set up your business, ensure it’s safe and easily accessible for your target customers, staff, and suppliers.

Step 6: Purchase barbing salon equipment and supplies

Your “how to start a barbing salon in Nigeria” list is incomplete without a plan to furnish it and get the necessary equipment and supplies. 

To start, you’ll need furniture like a table and chair for the reception area, barbing chairs for customers, shelves for products, and wall mirrors.  

Barbing salon equipment includes clippers, shears, trimmers, sterilisers, magnifying lamps with lights, etc. A standby generator in case power is interrupted is a must-have barbing salon equipment in most locations across Nigeria. 

Supplies can range from barber capes, aprons, and towels to pomade, hair care products, and talc powder. 

Still not sure where to start? 

Get salon management software

A management tool will streamline daily operations. Getting software like Splice lets you automate appointment booking and send reminders to customers. 

What’s more, it also allows you to manage customer information, oversee staff schedules, track product inventory, simplify payment processes, and turn real-time data into insight, all in one place.  

Step 7: Hire or train barbers

Barbing is an apprenticeship-heavy industry. As a barbing salon owner or manager, you can either hire experienced barbers to join you or train eager newbies to become experienced barbers. 

However you choose to go about it, ensure you put together a high-performing team to use your facilities to deliver quality services to your customers. Your salon’s success relies heavily on the performance of your team. 

Also, invest in ongoing training for your team to relearn your business’ core values and customer relations and keep up with new equipment handling, the latest barbing techniques, and industry trends.

Here’s how Splice can help you streamline your barber’s schedule: 

Step 8: Create a price list

List all the services your barbing salon offers, followed by prices. Research the pricing model of your competitors to set your own. Start by checking their social media pages and websites.

On your price list, describe any barbing service that might confuse or be unpopular to your customers. For instance, don’t just write, “Hair tinting — N4,500.” Instead, write, “Hair tinting: to add an extra layer of colour to your strands — N4,500.”

Make physical copies of your price list available in your barbing salon. Then, share digital copies on all your marketing platforms, including websites and social media.

Step 9: Create marketing & sales strategies

This is the final step. 

How do you plan to promote your barbing salon to reach people and turn them into loyal customers? 

Start by installing a signboard in front of your barbing salon to denote that it’s now operational. Then print flyers to invite people to check your shop out. 

Also, build an online presence to reach your target audience. Open accounts on various social media platforms (e.g., Facebook and Instagram) and set up your website to utilise SEO. Post relevant content regularly and engage with your audience. You can also explore email marketing. 

Once you get customers to start visiting, you can turn them into loyal customers through customer loyalty programs. 

Check out our 2024 Beyond Beauty report for insights into how and why your customers visit your salon or spa, tell their loved ones about your business, and keep returning for more.

Conclusion

You know now how to start a barbing salon in Nigeria. More than that, you can now build a formidable business by following the steps in this blog post. When you start, make sure you keep up with industry trends and insist on customer satisfaction. 

Most importantly, bring Splice on board to help you automate your day-to-day operations so you can focus on delighting your customers.