News

Women Now Rent Wigs As Human Hair Prices Soar

Published

3 years ago

May 8, 2023

Editor

For Nigerian women who make fashion a lifestyle and those who bid to look good is a do-or-die affair, it appears the most understandable language is “if you can’t beat them, join them”!

For them, a good lustred and moisturising wig is the craze, but the one made of human hair is the craving.

However, the problem is that the price of human hair is now expensive, so wigs made of human hair don’t come cheap.

But for beauty aficionados, there must be a way out.

So wigs, which ordinarily should be strictly for personal use are now shared, as women who can’t afford to buy opt for rent, instead.

It means that as many as seven people can wear one wig in a week, assuming they all rented it for just one day, respectively.

The health implications of this awkward sharing method is what those in medical fields, particularly trichologists, will later tell. But the sad reality is that the economy threw up this ugly trend.

One human hair wig, depending on the brand, now costs above N50,000, as against N10,000 it was sold a few years back.

A wig seller in the Trade Fair Complex, Mrs Celestina Animasahun, who spoke to Economy&Lifestyle said: “The price of a human hair wig, depending on the brand and length, is between N50,000 and N500,000. There are the ones with a mixture of synthetic hairs and human hair extensions, which are sold for between N15,000 and N20,000.

“But people who have verse knowledge in hair textures will know they are not the real deal.

“Although, I have real human hairs, which don’t come cheap, anyway, but experience of the economy shows that one also has to import the lesser ones. This is because, left with the real human hair, the business will not thrive. Only few people can now afford to buy such expensive wigs.

“The most shocking revelation is that even some of the retailers, who buy from me, are now putting the wigs out for rent. Could you have imagined that?

“You know, as women, we always love to raise our class, even if it means renting a wig others have worn, as long as it is the real deal.”

When Economy&Lifestyle went out to confirm Animashaun’s revelation, a civil servant, Mrs. Toyosi Adeniran, admitted that most of her colleagues do order wigs from online wig renting platforms which normally cost between N1, 000 and N5, 000 per day depending on the grade.

Adeniran said: “Wig renting was done by those actors and actresses in the old days when the movie industry was still emerging. Then the artificial human hair wig was common. But now most of them cannot afford high quality human hair wigs which they put on when they are on set.

“But the trend has now changed. Even housewives and young girls now rent human hair wigs just to attend parties.

“Most of my friends do rent human hair wigs to dinner parties. They get them from online renting platforms at a lesser cost depending on the quality or brand they want. A wig according to them costs N1, 000 to N5, 000 per day.

“I was shocked at the revelation and at the same time saddened by the fact that the state of the economy has now led most women to renting things which ordinarily don’t seem hygienic at all.

“I asked my friends if they don’t feel irritated at all by putting on a wig other people with different diseases God knows have worn all in the name of renting, they just laughed at me.

“They told me to check the cost of a Brazilian or Peruvian human hair wig in the market to judge their action.”

However, Mr. Vincent Johnson, a hairstylist in Surulere, said that there are wigs he rents per hour due to their expensive nature.

“There are different types of human hair with various lengths and this determines their prices in the market.

“We have the Brazilian, Malaysian, Bohemian Kinky, Bob unit, Jerry curls, Blunt cut, Peruvian, Indian, Magviilia, Sensationnel human hairs, among others.

“They come in different forms such as bone straight, lace frontals, closures among other things.
“I do rent expensive human hair wigs from N90, 000 to N200, 000 for N500 per hour counting from the time you paid for it. Wigs from N20,000 to N80,000 I rent for N5,000 per day.”

On how to use wigs he said: “A wig is supposed to be used 8 to 10 times before washing it. Some people do have diseases like ringworm, dandruff, lice on their head which I cannot know so I always advise borrowers to put on a wig cap before wearing the rented wigs.

“Having damp natural hair under a wig is not only extremely uncomfortable, but can also promote the growth of nasty bacteria. The moisture mixed with body heat and extra warmth from the layer of wig can cause the growth of mildew and germs especially when you wear synthetic extensions wigs.

“I always make sure I dry the returned wig in a dryer or expose it to the heat of the sun to avoid dampness and smell caused by sweat from the head.”

VANGUARD

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

7 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

News

IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police

Published

7 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.

Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.

Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.

News

Court Orders SERAP To Pay DSS Operatives N100m For Defamation

Published

12 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered a non-governmental organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, to pay N100 million as damaged to two operatives of the Department of the State Services, DSS, for unjustly defaming them in some publications.

The court also ordered SERAP to tender public apologies to the defamed officers,
Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, in two national newspapers, two television stations and its website.

Besides, the organization was also ordered to pay the two operatives N1 million as cost of litigation and 10 percent post-judgment interest annually on the judgment sum until it’s fully liquidated.

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory gave the order on Tuesday while delivering judgment in a N5.5 billion defamation suit instituted against SERAP by the DSS operatives.

The judge found SERAP liable for unjustly defaming the two DSS operatives with allegations that they unlawfully invaded its Abuja office, harassed and intimidated its staff, in September 2024.

In the offending publication on its website and Twitter handle, SERAP alleged that the two operatives unlawfully invaded and occupied its office with sinister motives.

The judge held that the publication was in bad taste especially from an organization established to promote transparency and accountability, as nothing in the publication was found to be truthful.

The DSS staff had listed SERAP as 1st defendant in the suit marked CV/4547/2024. SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, was listed as the 2nd defendant.

In the suit, the claimants – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele – accused the two defendants of making false claims that they invaded SERAP’s Abuja office on September 9, 2024..

Counsel to the DSS, Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde, had while adopting his final address in the mater urged the judge to grant all the reliefs sought by his client in the interest of justice.

He admitted that although the names of the two claimants were not mentioned in the defamation materials, they had however established substantial circumstances that they are the ones referred to in the published defamation article by SERAP on its website.

The counsel submitted that all ingredients of defamation have been clearly established and the offending publication referred to the two officials of the secret police.

However, SERAP, through its counsel, Victoria Bassey from Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, law firm, asked the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that the two claimants did not establish that they were the ones referred to in the alleged defamation materials.

She said that SERAP used “DSS officials” in the alleged offending publication, adding that the two claimants must establish that they are the ones referred to before their case can succeed.

Similar arguments were canvassed by Oluwatosin Adefioye who stood for the second defendant, adding that there was no dispute in the September 9, 2024 operation of DSS in SERAP’s office.

He said that since SERAP in the publication did not name any particular person, the claimants must plead special circumstances that they were the ones referred to as the DSS officials.

Besides, he said that there is no organization by name Department of State Services in law, hence, DSS cannot claim being defamed adding that the only entity known to law is National Security Agency.

The claimants had in the suit stated that the alleged false claim by SERAP has negatively impacted on their reputation.

The DSS also stated, in the statement of claim, that, in line with the agency’s practice of engaging with officials of non-governmental organisations operating in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it directed the two officials – John and Ogunleye – to visit SERAP’s office and invite them for a familiarization meeting.

The claimants added that in carrying out the directive, John and Ogunleye paid a friendly visit to SERAP’s office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who upon being informed about the purpose of the visit, claimed that none of SERAP’s management staff was in the country and advised that a formal letter of invitation be written by the DSS.

John and Ogundele, who claimed that their interactions with Ruth were recorded, said before they immediately exited SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform her organisation’s management about the visit and volunteered a phone number – 08160537202.

They said it was surprising that, shortly after their visit, SERAP posted on its X (Twitter) handle – @SERAPNigeria – that officers of the DSS are presently unlawfully occupying its office.

The claimant added, “On the same day, the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits, falsely alleging that some officers from the DSS, described as “a tall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark skinned man,” invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP).

John and Ogundele stated that “due to the false statements published by the defendants, the DSS has been ridiculed and criticised by international agencies such as the Amnesty International and prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN)”.

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, members of the public and the international community formed the opinion that the Federal Government is using the DSS to harass the defendants.”

They added that the defendants’ statements caused harm to their reputation because the staff and management of the DSS have formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation and are therefore, incompetent and unprofessional.

The claimants therefore prayed the court for the following reliefs: “An order directing the defendants to tender an apology to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter) handle, two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard) and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing the claimants of unlawfully invading the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5 billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants.

“Interest on the sum of N5b at the rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is realised or liquidated.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N50 million as costs of this action.”