MARKET ACCEPTABILITY OF LOCALLY MADE COSMETICS PRODUCTS (BEAUTY AIDS) IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF FEMALE CONSUMERS IN ENUGU URBAN)

CHAPTER  ONE

1.0                                                   INTRODUCTION

1.1                               BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

During the pre and post-independence period, Nigeria markets wore flooded with foreign goods including cosmetics.  There was a great enthusiasm for specialization in importation for sale rather than local production sale.

The scramble for the importation ready-made goods into the country for sale was so great that people gave little attention for local production of even simply goods that was otherwise very difficult to produce. 

Nigeria suddenly became a market for all sorts of goods, as a result of this trend that Nonyelum (1981) reported in his book that during this period “Nigeria had become a dumping ground for all manner of foreign goods.

An observation of facts for consumption activity in Nigeria during this period is consumer’s market preference for imported goods.  Olusoga (1983) on his part pointed out that Nigeria business attach little importance to the marketing function in top management decision-making and that in Nigeria.  The business do no care much about customers’ satisfaction, Agbonjoh (1985) attributed it to “psychological factor”.  He said that some individuals search for distinctiveness, exclusiveness and egoism and in the course of buying, seek out those products, which can counter these qualities.

In order to encourage local manufacturing products including cosmetics, import restrictions were introduced under the comprehensive import supervision scheme in 1979.  Certain classes of goods were banned from being imported and restrictions were imposed on importation of certain other goods through the requirements of import license or increase in import duties.  This was a tremendous opportunity presented to indigenous producers to lunch new Nigeria brands that should vie for consumers acceptance in its product categories affected.  In 1986, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) was introduced and now industrial policy as well as export scheme programme was introduced.  These introductions improved the manufacturers’ skill in economy.  The local manufacturers still in attempting to face the challenges posted by the government introduced a very wider range of cosmetic product into the market.  Many brand of body lotions, creams, soaps, hair creams, and face care produce are now produced locally.  Some of the products include lipsticks, cortexes, relaxers, creams, lotions, rosy chicks, massacres, activators,