The quest for a new, reliable beauty professional in an unfamiliar locale often presents a significant challenge. This personal struggle became the catalyst for Idemudia Oriakhi, CEO of Saluni, when he returned to Nigeria in 2021 and faced an arduous search for a barber. What should have been a straightforward task evolved into a frustrating ordeal, requiring extensive outreach to friends, endless scrolling through Instagram, and persistent Google searches to find a suitable barber near his location. This experience sparked an innovative idea, leading Oriakhi, leveraging his background in real estate, architecture, and IT, to develop a digital solution for the beauty sector.

Named Saluni, this platform aims to revolutionize access to beauty professionals, prioritizing seamless service delivery. Oriakhi articulated to Techpoint Africa that "Saluni hopes to solve a problem; that is, the speed with which customers get services. There’s a gap, and we’ve built something that bridges the gap." Though conceived in 2021, the company was officially registered in 2023 and launched in March 2024. Since its launch, Saluni has achieved considerable traction, attracting over 2,400 customers and 4,200 vendors across multiple countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, Benin Republic, and the United Kingdom. The platform has also successfully processed over ₦200 million ($133,000) in gross revenue.

At its core, Saluni is designed to enhance visibility for beauty professionals and expedite service acquisition for clients. Oriakhi highlighted the issue of many skilled professionals remaining obscure, relying solely on referrals. "There’s the possibility that there’s a good barber or stylist one minute away; meanwhile, I’m getting referred to someone who’s a bit far off,” he explained. "This is the core of Saluni. For beauty professionals, this app can be like their shop; for customers, they can get services faster; you don’t have to scroll through Instagram endlessly or Google.”

The Saluni app functions as a comprehensive beauty marketplace. Vendors wishing to register as professionals must provide essential credentials such as phone numbers, an ID, NIN, a passport, and a driver’s license. Upon successful registration, they can list their services, specifying costs and timelines for each. For vendors, Saluni offers two primary models: 'Saluni Light,' a free model where vendors share services and receive orders but are required to remit a 3-10% commission per service (depending on the type), and 'Saluni Boss,' a premium subscription-based model. The 'Saluni Boss' plan operates on a three-tier paid service, granting vendors perks such as handling multiple orders concurrently and acquiring exclusive banner rights on the Saluni homepage, which also links to their social media profiles. The subscription tiers include a monthly ₦14,900 ($9.9) plan, a 3-month ₦39,900 ($26.5) plan, and a six-month ₦69,900 ($46.5) plan.

Customers, however, are not subjected to any subscription fees; they are only charged based on the service price indicated on the platform. The app allows customers to browse and filter multiple professionals based on proximity, price, or ratings. Similar to ride-hailing applications like Bolt or Uber, Saluni provides estimated travel times to each professional, leveraging Google’s API to offer a minimum of 300-400 options. Customers can also rate vendor services and provide feedback through a dedicated comment section. Saluni's revenue streams are derived from subscriptions, commissions, and promotional activities. Currently, the company is bootstrapped, with Oriakhi funding operations through profits from his real estate business, covering aspects like wallet management, servers, marketing, and reward programs. The startup further supports its vendors by offering free masterclasses to enhance their skills.

Despite its successes, Saluni faces several challenges in establishing itself as a leading beauty hub. While initial customer acquisition was boosted by marketing promotions featuring influencers like Nigerian BBN star Mercy Eke and skit maker Anita Asuoha (Real Warri Pikin), sustained engagement necessitates continuous discounts and promotions. Customer adoption remains a significant hurdle, as many individuals are still more inclined towards traditional referrals, requiring aggressive marketing and compelling success stories to sway them. Competition from dominant social platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and even Google also poses a threat to beauty discovery for both vendors and customers. Furthermore, network service inconsistencies can disrupt communication and service delivery, even with Saluni utilizing Zoho for backend communications. Expanding internationally, though the app is globally operable, presents its own set of complexities, demanding navigation through compliance hurdles related to tax, payments, and local regulations.

Looking ahead, Saluni plans to deepen its presence within Nigeria, particularly targeting the Northern regions where its reach is currently limited. Beyond Nigeria, the company aims to enhance its international footprint, with a specific focus on the UK, though securing additional funding is crucial to ease this expansion process. Oriakhi also envisions establishing a physical training center in Lagos, Nigeria, to provide beauty professionals with opportunities for upskilling and to ensure quality service delivery. "People need to understand that they don’t need to move from one physical location to another, looking for better and cheaper beauty services. All they need is Saluni,” Oriakhi emphasized, highlighting the platform’s vision to consolidate beauty service access.