This is a business that started with two things.
“$150 and resilience!”
“I call myself the jack of all trades and muscle [to mean strength] of everything,” Oluwabusayo Victoria Abiri says to FORBES AFRICA. “My business is all about making sure that all black women feel comfortable in their own skin.”
Abiri’s energy came through in her bright dress at the FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 photo shoot in Johannesburg.
“I started Koko By Khloe Beauty as a response to limited quality skincare products in Africa. Unfortunately, there [are too many] hazardous skincare products in the African market. I wanted to go against the status quo and launch a cosmetics line that embraces different skin types and shades, providing them with well-trusted and patented products that nourish and promote healthy glowing skin.”
However, starting a business in the beauty industry as a woman from Nigeria did not come without its challenges.
“Being an entrepreneur in Nigeria in general is hard,” Abiri explains. “Already, there are a lot of stigmas about doing business with Nigerians, and there is a lot of competition that comes with it.”
Through her business, Abiri has been able to amass over 1.5 million followers on Instagram and over 200,000 daily Snapchat viewers. With that viewership, she has been able to mobilize conversations with her audience around the age-old standards of beauty across Africa and how they are changing.
“The beauty industry is highly competitive, and local brands face a significant challenge competing with global giants,” says Bright Jaja. “However, I am impressed with Victoria’s success in breaking into the industry and making a significant impact in a short period. By leveraging her Instagram following, she has managed to create a community of people who appreciate and purchase her products.”