Omanghana
Makeup Ghana, working with senior faculty from the University of Ghana’s College of Humanities, has begun developing the country’s first comprehensive report on the beauty and wellness industry.
The Ghana Beauty & Wellness Report is expected to provide reliable data on the sector’s economic value, workforce, business structure and growth potential. It is intended to replace largely anecdotal assessments with evidence that can support policymaking, regulation, investment and enterprise development.
Preparations for the report began with a stakeholder technical workshop at the West African Genetic Medicine Centre at the University of Ghana, Legon. The event brought together representatives from academia, finance, government, regulatory institutions and the beauty and wellness industry.
The workshop, held under the theme “Formalizing Beauty: Data, Policy and Growth for Ghana’s Wellness Economy,” identified the information needed to produce a credible national assessment of the industry.
Research areas will include the sector’s size and economic contribution, employment levels, workforce skills, business profiles, consumer behavior and the extent of informal operations. The report will also examine local manufacturing, professional training, certification, product standards, regulatory challenges and access to finance.
Professor Sheena Lovia Boateng, an associate professor of marketing and entrepreneurship at the University of Ghana’s College of Humanities, is serving as lead researcher and chairperson of the project’s steering committee.
The committee includes professionals from the Bank of Ghana and specialists in entrepreneurship, beauty services, manufacturing, law, finance and technology. Its members will guide the research framework, identify priority areas and help ensure that the final report reflects different perspectives across the industry.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Makeup Ghana, Lady Rebecca Donkor, said the initiative would provide an evidence base for long-standing discussions about the size and commercial potential of Ghana’s beauty and wellness market.
She explained that reliable data would help stakeholders measure the sector’s contribution, identify existing gaps and present stronger investment opportunities to financial institutions, policymakers and development partners.
Elsie Appau-Klu, a lawyer, entrepreneur and technical adviser to the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, also called for the establishment of a Cosmetology Council to regulate professional practice and support the industry’s formalization.
She said the sector should be recognized as a source of employment, entrepreneurship and government revenue rather than being viewed solely as an industry centered on glamour. Appau-Klu added that formalization could help businesses gain access to credit, contracts and other opportunities for expansion.
She noted that although the Food and Drugs Authority regulates beauty products and local assemblies issue business permits, Ghana does not have a dedicated professional body overseeing cosmetology and wellness practitioners.
The initiative forms part of activities marking the 10th anniversary of the Ghana Beauty Awards under the theme “10 Years of Impact: The Legacy Era.”
Following the technical workshop, the research team will refine its methodology, begin collecting data and expand consultations with businesses, practitioners and other stakeholders across the country.
Source: Omanghana
