Turkish beauty brands target Ghana as West Africa production, packaging hub at Legacy Expo

GHANA – Turkish beauty companies, including Ojuvi Perfume House, AKSA Fragrance, and Sora Cosmetics, have scouted Ghanaian distributors at the Legacy Expo, as Ghana positions itself as a formulation, packaging, and distribution gateway for the ECOWAS region’s 400 million consumers.

The expo drew nearly 400 exhibitors from Africa, Turkey, South Korea, India, and the UAE.

Ghana currently spends more than USD 8 million every month on cosmetics, skincare, and personal care imports, highlighting local demand that could be captured through domestic manufacturing. 

One company executive noted that Ghana’s stable political climate made it an especially attractive base compared with other regional markets.

The Packaging and Logistics Opportunity

For Turkish brands to manufacture in Ghana, they will need local packaging suppliers for bottles, jars, tubes, labels, cartons, and shrink wrap. 

Currently, most cosmetic packaging in Ghana is imported, adding cost and lead time. A brand manufacturing shampoo in Accra would ideally source PET bottles locally, but if local production is unavailable, the cost advantage of local filling is reduced. 

The logistics of distribution within ECOWAS also favour Ghana: the ports of Tema and Takoradi serve landlocked neighbours Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, making Ghana a natural hub for regional distribution. 

A factory in Accra can ship finished goods to Ouagadougou faster than a factory in Istanbul can.

Market Growth Projections

Ghana’s beauty market was valued at approximately US$29.3 million in 2023 and is projected to grow at over 12 percent annually, reaching US$46.2 million by 2027. 

The broader personal care sector could reach US$109 million by the same year. 

For Turkish beauty brands facing saturated markets at home and currency volatility, Ghana offers a growing consumer base with increasing disposable income. 

ACE Events Director Praveen Singh stated that Ghana was strategically positioned to transition from consumer to producer, serving as a gateway for formulation, packaging, and distribution across the ECOWAS region.

AfCFTA as an Accelerator

The African Continental Free Trade Area framework could accelerate the shift by reducing tariffs on intra-African trade. 

A Turkish brand manufacturing in Ghana could export to Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and other ECOWAS countries under preferential trade terms, avoiding tariffs that apply to imports directly from Turkey. 

The Legacy Expo, formerly the Africa Makeup and Beauty Fair, has grown since its 2016 launch into what organisers describe as Africa’s largest trade exhibition for the beauty, cosmetics, and wellness sectors, with over 1,000 professionals attending this year’s edition.

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