Abuja-based Salon Secures TEF Entrepreneurship Grant, Champions Innovative Operations

An Abuja-based hair salon, HairloomNG, has secured the Tony Elumelu Foundation(TEF) Entrepreneurship Programme grant after building a fast-rising innovative hair care business in a highly informal sector.

While Nigeria’s beauty industry employs millions of women and generates billions in annual revenue, most operations remain informal with limited access to institutional funding or growth capital.

HairloomNG is however changing the narratives through structure and innovation.Currently running in two locations in the FCT, the salon operates with documented service protocols, advance booking systems, standardised pricing, and ongoing staff training – practices uncommon in a sector where most businesses run without formal operations.

The operations of this innovative salon has attracted recognition from the Tony Elumelu Foundation, earning its selection from hundreds of thousands of applicants across Africa for its entrepreneurship programme.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation grant provides $5,000 in seed capital alongside business training and mentorship. Selection rates remain below one percent, with the Foundation evaluating businesses on scalability, job creation potential, and operational viability.

Founded by Aidee Erhimesioja Agoreyo, HairloomNG began as a home-based operation and now employs women in their numbers across its operational centres in Gwarinpa and Lugbe in Abuja.

The firm uses appointment scheduling to manage client flow, limits high-chemical treatments in favour of hair-health protocol, and maintains client records for scalp analysis and treatment tracking.

The salon has also introduced a product refill system that allows clients to return bottles rather than purchase new packaging, addressing waste concerns while building customer retention.

According to the founder, HairloomNG plans to invest the fund in innovative equipment and staff development rather than rapid expansion, maintaining focus on operational consistency before scaling.

The business continues to hire women who seek stable employment in the beauty sector, offering structured training and professional development opportunities, uncommon feats in informal salon operations.

“The beauty sector is massive but largely invisible to formal finance and support systems,” said an Abuja-based SME consultant. “Businesses like this show what happens when you build the infrastructure that institutions look for,” she added.