The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) have called for collaborations with stakeholders in Nigerian hair and beauty industry for the industry’s growth and standardization.
The two organisations made the call at the African Hair Summit, held in Abuja on Saturday.
The African Hair Summit is an annual natural hair conference that brings hair and beauty entrepreneurs together to discuss innovative ways of raising awareness on healthy beauty lifestyles and business growth.
This year, the Summit focused on Hair Economy: Building our African value chain.
Speaking on ‘NIPC’s role in supporting investment in Nigeria’, the Deputy Director, States Coordination for NIPC, Mr Aminu Takuma, said that the Council was looking forward to partnering with hair and beauty entrepreneurs.
He added that this partnership was important to expand the industry and attract quality investments.
“The pioneer status incentive is being reviewed where high net worth individuals are approached to set up processing plants for the raw materials used for hair products.
“The bulk of shea butter used in producing most hair products are from Nigeria and we need to get more involved in knowing the process.
“NIPC is extending a hand of partnership to entrepreneurs in this industry to come on board,” he said.
Takuma also said NIPC was looking into expanding the shea butter industry and has partnered with USAID to conduct a feasibility study on market viability of the raw material.
He added that Nigerians need to get involved in the shea butter industry, especially hair and beauty entrepreneurs who need them for their products and services.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mrs Chidinma Emenyonu, the Technical Secretary, Hair and Bathing Industries, reiterated the need for standardization in the beauty industry.
Emenyonu revealed plans to revisit the standards for the hair industry, especially in areas of services, products used, client consultation, principles of hair cutting, hygiene and work environment.
She decried the lack of compliance to articles of standardization, adding that SON would no longer take defiance lightly.
“We need relevant stakeholders in the hair and beauty industry to collaborate with SON to develop the right standardization guidelines.
“These guidelines need to reflect on all areas, including production, service and consumer rights,”Emenyonu said.
She added that complying with standards would open the industry internationally and broaden the market.
Emenyonu noted that the reviewed list of standards for the hair and beauty industry would come out by the end of 2018 with its implementation to begin in 2019. (NAN)
