In a continent packed with entrepreneurial energy and untapped potential, Joycee Awosika stands out—not just for her compelling story, but for the indelible mark she is leaving on Nigeria’s burgeoning beauty and wellness industry.
Awosika, a former energy consultant turned business maven, she is the founder and CEO of ORÍKÌ Group, a luxury skincare and wellness brand rooted in nature and science.
But beyond the botanical elixirs and sleek spas, lies a woman intent on building an ecosystem—one that elevates African ingredients, empowers local artisans, and redefines the narrative of African excellence on the global stage.
“I wanted to create a brand that was authentically African, yet globally relevant,” Awosika says. “It’s about marrying the richness of our heritage with the sophistication the modern consumer demands.”
Launched in 2015, ORÍKÌ (meaning “your crown/your praise” in Yoruba) was born out of frustration.
As a Nigerian-American with a background in power systems and policy, Awosika had always been drawn to innovation—but the gap she saw in the beauty industry, particularly the underutilization of Africa’s rich natural resources, sparked a different kind of ambition. She pivoted—leaving a steady corporate path to chart one uniquely her own. And it’s paying off.
Today, ORÍKÌ operates a fast-growing chain of wellness spas, offers a comprehensive line of organic skincare products, and exports to markets beyond Africa.
The brand is not only helping redefine luxury from an African perspective—it is doing so while staying fiercely committed to sustainability and local empowerment.
“We source ingredients like shea, moringa, and baobab from smallholder farmers. It’s not just about commerce; it’s about community,” she explains.
What sets Awosika apart is her rare blend of boardroom polish and grassroots grit.
In a space where beauty often serves as a veneer, she has insisted on depth—both in formulation and in impact.
ORÍKÌ’s training institute, for instance, has equipped hundreds of young women with the skills to thrive in Nigeria’s beauty economy, a sector projected to surpass $3 billion by 2026.
Her ascent hasn’t come without challenges. Infrastructure gaps, talent retention, and the constant need to educate consumers on what “premium African-made” means are hurdles she continues to navigate. But in typical Awosika fashion, she’s turned obstacles into stepping stones. During the pandemic, she fast-tracked ORÍKÌ’s digital transformation—launching a robust e-commerce platform and virtual spa consultations that not only cushioned losses but boosted the brand’s visibility across borders.
“Entrepreneurship in Africa requires stamina,” she says. “You must be relentless in pursuit of your vision, yet flexible enough to pivot when needed.”
Joycee’s strategic foresight has not gone unnoticed. She’s been recognized among Nigeria’s leading women in business and was selected for the prestigious African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC). But accolades, she insists, are secondary to impact.
For a generation of African women redefining leadership on their own terms, Awosika represents a blueprint. She’s not just building a brand—she’s building belief. Belief in African ingenuity, in sustainable luxury, and in the audacity to dream big from Lagos to the world.
“I want ORÍKÌ to be a symbol, a symbol that you can build globally respected brands from Africa, for the world.”
And if her trajectory is anything to go by, that symbol is already shining.
