The Natural Cosmetics Market in Africa: A Promising Sector
The cosmetics market in Africa is a significant sector, with the Sub-Saharan French-speaking region alone valued at €5 billion, according to Moez Ammar, an export consultant and accompanist. This was highlighted during a webinar held on March 21, 2025, on the theme "Natural Cosmetics: Building African Brands of the Future" with participants from Senegal, Mauritania, and Tunisia.
A Practical Approach
The webinar focused on the practical aspects of the cosmetics industry, with participants sharing their experiences and raising concrete questions. The discussion was part of the Wings Growth Boost seminar series organized by Managers, aiming to highlight collaboration opportunities between Tunis, Dakar, and Nouakchott.
Sélima Zaouali: "The Supply Chain Must Upgrade"
Sélima Zaouali, CEO of Aseptika Lab (Tunisia), emphasized the importance of improving product quality. "To ensure a good quality product, you need high-quality raw materials. And you can't buy without controlling the value chain. The ISO 22716 standard, which is a collection of good manufacturing practices (GMP) for the cosmetics sector, guarantees this approach."
Zaouali stressed the importance of certifications: "The entire production chain is crucial, from the cultivation of seeds that give us oils to the exclusion of GMOs and pesticides. This makes it difficult for farmers to get certified, but when they do, it saves us a lot of steps. The rule is to control the source and ensure that the entire supply chain is upgraded."
Lotfi Cherif: "Partner with a Local Distributor"
Lotfi Cherif, franchise holder of Secret Beauty (Mauritania), noted that the Mauritanian cosmetics market is very dynamic. "Mauritanian women love natural products, and raw materials are abundant. The sector is very open, and the country is a virgin market; all brands can establish themselves and will be well-received."
Cherif highlighted a particularity of the Mauritanian market: "Mauritanian women strongly demand products for skin lightening. It's their top interest in the cosmetics market, where best-sellers are foundation, creams, and hydrating oils."
Cherif advised a marketing strategy for Tunisian exporters to Mauritania: "First, ensure you have the product's technical file. For distribution, note that online sales are not yet operational in Mauritania. You can't import large quantities, and the best way is to establish a small depot and find a local partner to handle sales. Especially when talking about the Mauritanian market, you must include Mali (enclave) and part of the Senegal River."
Olfa Kilani: "Testing and Adapting to Local Tastes"
Olfa Kilani, founder of Kyto-Prod (Tunisia), emphasized the difference between markets: "Competition is fierce on the continent, and the key to success is to do thorough prospecting and testing to adapt products to local tastes. You need to go on the ground, listen, feel, and be constantly 'in' and attentive to pros. Each country has its preferences, and you must question yourself constantly. Quality has allowed us to differentiate ourselves, and today, our shampoo is the top-selling product in Mauritania, behind international brands."
Kilani discussed the challenges of ethical and sustainable manufacturing: "We must source locally and make a daily effort to ensure supply stability and product quality. We require our suppliers to provide technical files to hold them accountable. We will always remember the time we had to destroy an entire batch because a supplier didn't inform us of a material change; something the technical file should have mentioned."
Ines Lowe Sall: "Focus on Quality and Constantly Improve Products"
Ines Lowe Sall, founder of Melanin Care Cosmetics (Senegal), also emphasized the importance of quality: "You think you've worked on a product and it's excellent, but things don't stop there. It must go through other stages before being well-received by the public. From dream to reality, you must consider specific consumer tastes and international competition. You must always work on the product."
Sall advised Tunisian companies targeting the Senegalese market to conform to local regulations to enter the distribution circuit. She noted that the first challenges are distribution and visibility: "A logistics system must be put in place to get products to stores. You need to think about transportation. Initially, we worked only online because people are very connected in Senegal, and we have fluid distribution circuits. To simplify things, we operate in deposit-sale mode so that retailers also benefit. I advise those entering the Senegalese market to conform to norms first. With certifications, it's about focusing on quality and constantly rethinking products and training."
Salimata Thiam: "Women Entrepreneurs Need Targeted Technical Support"
Salimata Thiam, consultant and founder of the Dakar Entrepreneurship Salon (Senegal) and president of the Act'Elles club, has made it her mission to support entrepreneurs: "Our salon aims to promote women's entrepreneurship. We found that they need targeted technical support before they can create products that find their place on global cosmetics markets. We also found a financing deficit for quality tests that allow them to compete with international brands."
Thiam highlighted the importance of support structures for the future of cosmetics in Africa: "Incubators have a crucial role to play. They can greatly help, especially with financing and training. As for salons, they provide visibility to entrepreneurs while allowing them to meet and open up partnership opportunities."
Packaging Inspiration
Finally, Sahar Mechri, CEO of Managers, offered a tip for those looking to export to the Mauritanian market: "In Mauritania, consumers are conservative regarding packaging inspired by brands they love and consume heavily. To stand out, the packaging of Tunisian products, for example, must have that certain something that reminds them of their favorite brands."
