Love it or hate it, braids are an intricate part of the Nigerian female beauty experience. Protective hairstyles are all the rave now. There’s something about not having to bother about styling your hair for weeks that makes up for all the stress of getting braided hairstyles.
What does it cost to get your favourite braid styles, though? We asked six ladies in six Nigerian cities.
Abuja
— Ortega, 23
People in this city spend crazy amounts of money on braids, but I never reach. I usually get regular box braids, which cost an average of ₦8k to ₦10k (including hair extensions and service charges) in a local saloon. But if you’re feeling bougie and you go to those fancy places, it can cost up to ₦20k — maybe ₦15k if they’re kind. Braiding natural hair is even more expensive.
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Lekki, Lagos
— Cynthia*, 29
I’m a knotless braids girl, and it costs me an average of ₦50k to braid my hair. My salon has fixed prices for everything, and here’s the breakdown: I usually get a hair treatment before braiding which costs about ₦20k, and the braids and hair extensions cost about ₦30k. I think it’s a reasonable price because they also take out my old braids, and the salon has a superb ambience.
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Ado-Ekiti
— Joke, 25
I recently moved here, and while I don’t exactly love the city, I definitely can’t hate the budget-friendly hairstyling prices. I do all kinds of braids — kinky, cornrows, even ghana weaving and I typically spend between ₦7k to ₦8k, including hair extensions. Honestly, extensions take the bulk of the price because they’re more expensive here than in Lagos, but I can’t complain.
Ilorin
— Tope, 24
My go-to braid style is definitely knotless braids, and it costs me around ₦10k to get them done. I use two hair extensions that cost ₦2,200 each, and the service charge is usually within the range of ₦4k to ₦5k. This doesn’t include relaxer application or washing, though, as that can involve an additional ₦2k.
Osogbo
— Maria*, 31
I can’t be caught dead braiding my hair at a salon where I have to be “giving” the stylist hair extensions. So, I’m happy to shell out around ₦18k for simple cornrow braids (including hair extensions). It’s pretty expensive, but I’m paying for my comfort, so it’s worth it.
Ibadan
— Favour*, 22
I’m not much of a braids person. The most I’ve done is crochet braids, and that’s because I hate sitting in one place for too long. The price for every braid session varies depending on the type or number of hair extensions I use, but the service charge is always around ₦3k to ₦4k. If I factor in hair extensions of maybe ₦5k, my total budget would be around ₦8k to ₦9k.
*Some names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.
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