Competition among homegrown beauty and personal care brands in East Africa is intensifying as businesses seek to capture a larger share of a market traditionally dominated by international brands. The trend has been highlighted by the double win of Somali fragrance company WARA Fragrance at the 2026 Somali Business Awards, where it was named Business of the Year 2026 and Best Perfume Brand of the Year 2026.
The awards, held in Mogadishu, followed a three-month public voting exercise, according to the organisers. WARA’s recognition points to the growing efforts by African-owned businesses to build consumer brands around locally relevant products while expanding beyond their domestic markets.
In Kenya, the shift is particularly relevant to the beauty and personal care industry, where consumers have access to a growing range of locally manufactured and African-owned skincare, cosmetics, haircare and fragrance products.
The expansion of digital commerce and social media has also lowered the barriers for smaller brands to reach consumers without relying exclusively on traditional retail networks.
WARA co-founder and chief executive Abdirahman Hussein Mohamed said the company’s recognition was driven by support from its customers. “These two awards are a powerful recognition of the journey we have taken with WARA Fragrance. Winning through an online public voting process makes this achievement even more meaningful because it reflects the trust and support of the people who believe in our brand.”
He said the company is targeting markets beyond Somalia as it builds its African brand.
“Our vision has always been to build an African fragrance company that represents quality, creativity and excellence. This is not the finish line; it is another step toward taking WARA to Africa and ultimately to the world.”
The emergence of brands such as WARA is increasing the competitive pressure on companies operating in East Africa’s beauty market, where businesses are competing on product quality, pricing, branding and consumer loyalty. For Kenyan manufacturers and entrepreneurs, the growing regional competition also presents an opportunity to expand into neighbouring markets as the East African Community provides a wider consumer base.
However, regional expansion comes with challenges, including distribution costs, regulatory requirements, established international competitors and the need to maintain consistent product quality as businesses scale. WARA’s two awards therefore reflect more than recognition in Somalia, signalling the broader push by African-owned beauty businesses to establish brands capable of competing for consumers across East Africa and eventually international markets.
