Africa Hair Market Expo in Nairobi gives space to small businesses
Small businesses and start-ups in Kenya’s lucrative hair and hair products industry will have a chance to showcase themselves at the upcoming Africa Hair Market exhibition in Nairobi next month.
According to Muli Musyoka, a trichologist, Kenyans spend about Sh8.6 billion on hair and beauty every year, which is more than half of the Sh14.5 billion spent on hair and beauty in East Africa as a whole.
As the industry continues to grow, several start-ups have entered the business to meet the growing demand.
The upcoming Africa Hair Market exhibition, co-hosted by Africa Is A Planet and Global Exhibitions Inc., will introduce shelves that are unique and cost-effective for exhibitors.
“We aim to create a vibrant market environment with a wide range of stakeholders exchanging value by utilizing the economic and efficient potential of a state-of-the-art space such as the Sarit Expo Centre,” said Keith Oleng, Project Manager and Founder of Africa Is A Planet in a statement.
This approach is designed to make it easier for hair startups to showcase their work while keeping costs manageable. This makes it easier to do business.
According to the organizers, the shelf-based exhibition embraces the sharing economy model and offers startups and SMEs in the hair care, skin care, beauty, and fashion industries an affordable way to showcase their products in a state-of-the-art event space.
“As the KNCCI Nairobi Chapter, we are committed to creating opportunities that drive growth for SMEs, especially in industries with significant potential for job creation and innovation. The Africa Hair Market provides an accessible platform for small businesses to connect, network, and grow sustainably,” said Christine Mwende, Chief Executive of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce (KNCCI) Nairobi Chapter.
The shelves are designed to allow Kenya’s most promising start-ups to showcase their work for Kh2,300 while keeping costs manageable, which the organizers say directly contributes to the country’s ease of doing business metric.