By Christy Anyanwu
Bona Expo, the pioneer exposition in Africa for skin and haircare, Green Beauty Brands in Africa & By Africans on recently held a beauty forum and beauty pop-up shop at the GAC Luxury Showroom.
Bona Expo in partnership with GAC Motors held the event to deliberate on the beauty landscape in Nigeria and discuss the financial forecast of Green Beauty in Nigeria as well as explore raising capital locally and internationally for Green Beauty brands in Nigeria.
At a forum to herald the pop-up store hosted by Chief Diana Chen, chairman GAC Motors Nigeria and Choice International Ltd, she expressed her eagerness to assist the entrepreneurs in exploring and raising capital locally and internationally. According to her, there are different fairs and exhibitions they could attend in China and introduce their brands.
Founder, Bona Expo, Cynthia Odibeli, said the automobile is particular about aesthetics; beauty is very particular about aesthetics. If you drive a lovely car, you feel good. They both have things in common; it just feels good to align these two brands, Bona Expo and GAC Motors, to create some sort of shift in the narrative as to how people begin to perceive African brands. She added that the main expo exhibition will be held in June 23 and 25th at the Landmark Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Executive Director of Zenith Bank, Adaobi Stella Nwapa as well as the alPHER Content and Community Manager, Union Bank, Ayomide Oyediran, in their remarks advised the entrepreneurs to “access loans given to female entrepreneurs, saying outsiders come here to get our raw materials to process because they have equipment to do it there. By the time you access the loan, you do your business representative.
Brands that exhibited their products included: Toriara Naturals, Skin by KO, Reclaim Essentials, Amal Botanicals, Shanyi Brands, 24.8 Skin by Aisha, Sublime Skin by Jumai, Uncover Skincare Limited,
Beskinful, May Emerald, Dakore Beauty and Modara Natural Skincare.