Beauty is expensive. Human hair wigs—especially high-grade, 100% unprocessed types—can now cost between N200,000 and N300,000 per unit, driven up by the volatility in Nigeria’s forex market. This price tag puts them out of reach for the average middle-income earner.
As the cost of human hair extensions continues to rise, many Nigerian women are turning to an unlikely alternative: plantain.
For a country where plantain is a beloved food staple, it is now pulling double duty—not just on plates but also on heads. In an era of high inflation, unstable foreign exchange rates, and declining purchasing power, beauty-conscious consumers are rethinking what luxury and affordability look like. And for many women, plantain fibre hair extensions offer both.
Plantain’s new role in beauty
Plantain or banana fibre hair extensions are made from the fibres extracted from the stems of these plants, softened, dyed, and styled into wigs or braids. The idea may once have sounded far-fetched, even amusing. But not anymore.
“I used to spend upwards of N200,000 on human hair wigs,” said Gladys Douglas, a sales representative. “Now, I get beautiful plantain fibre wigs for around N30,000, and nobody can tell the difference.”
Judith Olamide, a marketer, shared a similar story. Initially skeptical, she was won over after seeing a church member wearing one. “It looked so elegant. I bought mine that same week and haven’t looked back,” she said.
Cost and health concerns drive the shifts
On the other hand, synthetic hair, while cheaper, is coming under increased scrutiny for potential health risks. A U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) study recently raised red flags over synthetic braiding hair made from materials like Kanekalon—a modacrylic fibre composed of acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride, both linked to cancer and other health risks. When exposed to heat, these synthetic hairs release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which have been found to pose toxic risks, especially to Black women who wear these extensions for extended periods.
This context makes the plantain fibre alternative not just a cost-effective choice, but also one with fewer health concerns—especially as it is organic and biodegradable.
According to James Chukwuma, a hair vendor based in Lagos, demand for plantain and banana fibre extensions is growing. “More customers are asking for plantain fibre wigs. It’s cheaper than human hair and safer than synthetic options. Women are impressed by how natural it looks,” he noted.
He added that due to rising import costs, many vendors now offer human hair in minimal quantities—often just for closures or frontals—while clients opt for cheaper fibres for the rest of the wig. “Women will always find ways to stay fashionable without going broke,” he said.
An industry poised for disruption
The global hair wig and extension market is booming and projected to surpass $19.12 billion by 2028, with African women—both on the continent and in the diaspora—among its top consumers. But with the emergence of creative, locally-sourced alternatives like plantain fibre, new market dynamics are unfolding.
As inflation persists and health consciousness grows, innovations like plantain fibre hair may reshape how beauty is consumed and produced in Africa’s biggest economy. And in doing so, they just might give Nigerians another reason to love plantain—even if it’s not on their plate.
