The beauty and personal care industry has the potential to become a stronger source of jobs, household income and small business growth if practitioners transform their technical skills into sustainable enterprises, the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU-Ghana) has said.
Mr Morgan Ayawine, General Secretary of ICU-Ghana, said skilled professionals in the hairdressing and beauty sector should look beyond employment and use their expertise to build businesses capable of generating wealth and creating opportunities for others.
He made the call through Mr Emmanuel Benimah, Deputy General Secretary in charge of Operations, at the opening of the 2026 GHABA Hair Festival at the University of Ghana, Legon.
The festival is being held on the theme: “Transforming the Beauty Industry Through Skills, Creativity, and Enterprise Development.”
Mr Ayawine said the theme was particularly relevant to Ghana’s economic development because enterprise creation could provide skilled young people with alternative pathways to income generation and economic independence.
“Let the skills and creativity you have acquired evolve into viable and sustainable enterprises that will create wealth and opportunities for yourselves, your families and future generations,” he said.
He urged members of the Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association (GHABA) to move from simply acquiring vocational skills to developing business models around those skills.
Mr Ayawine said the beauty industry offered opportunities for people to start businesses without necessarily requiring large amounts of capital.
He encouraged practitioners to begin on a small scale by securing modest workspaces, acquiring basic hairdressing and cosmetology equipment and, where necessary, engaging apprentices.
“You do not have to wait until you have the resources to establish a large business. Start small, start with what you have, and grow gradually,” he said.
He said disciplined financial management, quality service, creativity and customer satisfaction could enable small beauty businesses to expand over time.
The approach, he noted, could also help practitioners move from self-employment to creating jobs for apprentices and other skilled workers.
The ICU-Ghana official said the sector’s contribution should not be viewed only in terms of personal grooming, but also through its potential to support entrepreneurship, skills development and household incomes.
He encouraged participants at the festival to use the platform to market their services, establish business contacts and build clientele.
“Right here at this Hair Festival, you have an excellent opportunity to begin building your clientele and establishing your businesses,” he said.
He urged practitioners to exchange contacts, develop referral networks and maintain professional standards that would encourage repeat patronage.
Mr Ayawine also encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to consider legitimate sources of financing, including personal savings, support from family and friends, microfinance institutions and banks.
He said the longstanding relationship between ICU-Ghana and GHABA had contributed to skills development within the beauty industry.
According to him, ICU-Ghana had, over the years, supported GHABA trainers to access international cosmetology training and exposure, enabling them to acquire knowledge and practices that were subsequently passed on to trainees.
He commended GHABA members for applying their skills and creativity to develop the industry and urged them to place greater emphasis on turning those capabilities into commercially viable businesses.
He said strengthening the link between vocational skills and enterprise development could help the sector contribute more significantly to employment creation and economic activity.
The 2026 GHABA Hair Festival is expected to provide a platform for practitioners to showcase their skills, creativity and professional expertise while connecting with potential clients and business opportunities.
