Meet Kufre Nnah, a Nigerian entrepreneur who has built a high-end barbering shop in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest commercial city. Nnah came to Lagos from Oyo in Benin State and founded Kayzplace Barbershop with just $12.
Today, the salon has grown into a six-figure business with over 65 workers. What is more, Nnah has opened four more branches and it is also the favorite location of Nigerian celebrities, corporate executives, and politicians.
Before moving to Lagos, Nnah was leaving with his parents. He mostly hangs out with his friends to the disapproval of his parents. Frustrated and tired by the incessant complaints of his parents, he decided to migrate to Lagos to find work.
In Lagos, he learned barbering from a wayside barbering salon and finally decided to move out and establish his own barbering salon in 2012. He attributes the success of his business to the management skills he learned while working in other barbering shops.
His barbering salon is not the traditional type of salon many people are accustomed to. Kayzplace Barbershop has a game center to entertain clients while they wait for their turn. The salon also has an executive lounge where VIPs can sit while they wait to be attended to.
“When I started Kayzplace, we lost customers because of the waiting time,” he explained in an interview with Steven Ndukwu. “When you have maybe one or two people waiting for you, a client may become bored.”
He continued: “So I was just looking at something I can do in order for customers not to feel bored, feel idle while waiting. That is what gave me the inspiration to set up indoor games in the salon.”
According to him, he has set up eight indoor games in the salon, including Chess, Ludo game, Play Station 5, Scrabble, Draft, among others. “All I want to build is not just a professional barbershop but it is about lifestyle, relationship with customers,” he said, adding that maintaining good ties with clients is essential for any business to thrive.
The celebrity barber is one of the most sought-after professionals in Nigeria and has given haircuts to top Nigerian celebrities like Davido, Wizkid, Ighalo, and a host of politicians and top corporate executives. Nnah also disclosed that he recently flew a private plane to cut the hair of a Nigerian senator.
