Africa’s Haircare Market Set To Grow By Nearly $1B

A new report is forecasting that the haircare market in Africa will grow by $994M within the next five years. According to Technavio’s “Haircare Market in Africa by Product and Geography – Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026,” the growth is driven by demand for natural haircare products and introductory launches. The global natural haircare product market size was valued at $8.54B in 2019, so this represents a major impact.

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Key regions of growth include South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. Major brands like Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal SA, Revlon, Shiseido, Estee Lauder, and Unilever are already making headway with launches of existing products that have fared well in the U.S., like Motions and Dark & Lovely.

L’Oréal launched its own Institute of Ethnic Hair and Skin Research in 2012 in Chicago, Ill., along with an evaluation center in South Africa, dedicated to collecting consumer insights and conducting development studies.

Unsurprisingly, the report shares that “dry and frizzy hair is a common concern among African consumers. For this reason, products in the market are formulated with intense moisture, oils, and fat content to hydrate and lock moisture.”

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Like in the U.S., the report shows that one of the biggest challenges to the industry is counterfeit products from China, which are not only thwarting market growth, but also causing side effects like hair loss and scalp issues.

This marks a prime opportunity for regional startups to develop growth strategies to increase their outreach and educate consumers on safe products that actually work. Black-owned brands from across the globe to gain a foothold. Notables already expanding their reach include The Hair Senta, a Ghana-based hair extensions company, and U.S.-based natural hair brand Mielle Organics.