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Hair Braiding & Wig Making: From First Cornrow to a Booked-Out Business

Cornrows, feed-ins, box and knotless braids, twists and trending styles, then closure and frontal wigs, customising and revamping, with the hygiene, pricing and bookings that turn skill into income.

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About this course

Braiding and wig making are two of the most requested in-person beauty services in Nigeria, and two of the easiest to start from home with a mannequin head and a first client who is a friend. This course takes you from the first clean part to a booked-out schedule. You will learn how to check a scalp and control tension so your styles never cost a client her edges, how to part, cornrow and feed in, how to install box braids, knotless braids and twists at the right size and speed, how to do the styles clients are asking for this season and take them down without breakage, how a wig is built and how to make a closure wig and then a frontal wig, how to customise and revamp wigs, how to keep tools, station and home-service kit clean, and how to price, take deposits, post before-and-afters with consent, sell wigs online and list your service on Skill Market. Every lesson ends with a practice task and a portfolio photo. Free, like every Skillnaija course.

Two years ago, Ifeoma Nwachukwu braided her cousin's hair for free, posted one photo, and had four messages by evening. She said yes to all four, quoted whatever came into her head, and one Saturday was still finishing small knotless braids at 1 a.m. by torchlight, wrists aching, for less than the hair had cost her. Today, at 23, she braids three days a week from her aunt's parlour in Yaba, does home service at weekends, and is booked a fortnight ahead. Same hands. What changed is that she began treating braiding as a trade.

What you'll learn

Course syllabus — 10 lessons

  1. The braiding and wig trade in Nigeria15 min
  2. Hair, scalp and tension16 min
  3. Foundation: parting, cornrows and feed-ins17 min
  4. Box braids, knotless braids and twists16 min
  5. Trending and advanced styles16 min
  6. Wigs 1: caps, lace and building a closure wig17 min
  7. Frontal wigs: customising, installing and revamping16 min
  8. Hygiene, tools, workspace and home service15 min
  9. The business: pricing, bookings, content and Skill Market17 min
  10. Your portfolio and the project16 min

Your project

Your Braiding & Wig Portfolio

One document (Google Doc with view access, or an uploaded Word or PDF file, or a shared photo folder plus a document) with a headed section for each of the five parts. Photos must be your own work, taken with permission.

Certificates on Skillnaija are earned, not issued for attendance: you submit this project, it is graded against a rubric, and passing issues a certificate anyone can verify. See the full project brief, rubric and free workbook →

Frequently asked questions

Is Hair Braiding & Wig Making: From First Cornrow to a Booked-Out Business free?

Yes. Hair Braiding & Wig Making: From First Cornrow to a Booked-Out Business is completely free on Skillnaija. You need a free account to open the lessons, and there is no charge for the course, the project, or the certificate.

How long does Hair Braiding & Wig Making: From First Cornrow to a Booked-Out Business take to complete?

5 weeks · ~4 hrs/week. There are 10 lessons, about 3 hours of material in total. You learn at your own pace and your progress is saved.

Do I need any experience to start Hair Braiding & Wig Making: From First Cornrow to a Booked-Out Business?

Beginner. You can start from scratch — no prior experience is assumed.

What will I learn in Hair Braiding & Wig Making: From First Cornrow to a Booked-Out Business?

You will build practical skills in Scalp checks and tension control, Parting, cornrows and feed-ins, Box braids, knotless braids and twists, Trending and protective styles, Closure and frontal wig construction, Wig customising and revamping, Hygiene and station setup, Home-service kit and safety, Pricing, deposits and bookings, Portfolio and social content with consent, Selling wigs online, Skill Market in-person listings. Every lesson is written for a Nigerian context, with examples drawn from how the work is actually done and paid for here.

Do I get a certificate for Hair Braiding & Wig Making: From First Cornrow to a Booked-Out Business?

Yes, but it has to be earned. You complete the course project — Your Braiding & Wig Portfolio and submit it for grading. Passing the project issues a verifiable certificate; finishing the lessons alone does not.

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