It takes a special kind of courage to see what’s missing in an industry and decide you could be the one to fill that gap. For Oke Maduewesi, this courage didn’t come from working in beauty but from long hours with spreadsheets, boardrooms, and the steady discipline she learned in banking.
Before starting Zaron Cosmetics, Oke Maduewesi worked as a manager at Zenith Bank. Her careful approach in finance would later help shape her business. While studying for her MBA at the University of Leeds, far from Lagos and the beauty industry she would later change, she noticed a gap: very few brands understood African skin, and even fewer offered the right shades for women across the continent. What began as a dissertation idea slowly became something bigger. She wrote her business plan as a student, and by the time she returned to Nigeria, Zaron Cosmetics was ready to launch.
When Zaron launched in 2011, its goal was clear and bold: to make quality, affordable makeup for Black women, with shades that truly matched the wide range of skin tones in Nigeria and Africa. The aim was not to compete with global beauty giants but to create something new for women here.
Fifteen years on, Zaron is no longer just a makeup brand, the vision has grown into something impressive. Zaron Cosmetics now offers Skin by Zaron, a full line of skincare and wellness products for face and body. This was a natural next step for a brand that believes beauty and skin health go hand in hand. Today, Zaron has 25 franchise stores and over 800 distributors, reaching beyond Nigeria to Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, and Botswana. What started as a student’s idea is now a well-known beauty brand for women across Africa.
But numbers and milestones are only part of the story. At 30, while pregnant with her second child, Oke Maduewesi lost her husband in the 2005 Sosoliso plane crash. This tragedy could have ended her journey. She rarely talks about it and has never made it the focus of her brand’s story. Still, it quietly shapes everything she has built since, reminding her to keep moving, keep building, and keep believing in her vision, even while carrying a loss that changes everything.
Oke Maduewesi does not seek the limelight, but she has become a quiet source of strength for young women. Her story is proof that grief and ambition can exist together, and rebuilding is possible, even if it looks different from what you once imagined.
Today, when a woman in Africa finds a foundation shade that matches her skin or a beauty product that boosts her confidence, she may not know the story behind the brand. Still, the steady work of making sure every woman can elevate her beauty is Oke Maduewesi’s legacy, built carefully, one product and one country at a time.
Oke, take us back to the early days of Zaron and how you built such a phenomenal brand.
The early years of Zaron were some of the most passionate, challenging, and defining years of the business.
We started with a clear vision and built the company gradually through hard work, consistency, and a deep understanding of the consumers we wanted to serve. Those early years required resilience and resourcefulness, but they were also incredibly rewarding because we had the opportunity to watch an idea develop into a tangible and growing business.
Every stage brought valuable lessons. We learned about the market, strengthened our operations, developed our distribution network, and continued refining our products and business model. Much of the growth was organic, driven by consumer trust and our commitment to delivering quality.
Today, when I reflect on the people we have employed, the entrepreneurs we have supported, the enterprises we have helped develop, and the lives we have touched through Zaron, I feel incredibly humbled.
The journey has made me deeply grateful for the opportunity to build something that has grown beyond a beauty brand. Zaron has become a platform for economic opportunity, personal development, representation, and positive social impact.
What was the hardest part of convincing investors, retailers, or even customers that Africa needed and deserved its own quality beauty brand?
One of the greatest challenges was overcoming the perception of locally made products.
When I started Zaron, Nigerian consumers were not embracing homegrown brands in the way they do today. There was a widely held belief that local products could not compete with international brands on quality. We were therefore entering a market in which we had to do more than introduce a new beauty brand. We also had to change an established mindset and earn the confidence of consumers, retailers, and other stakeholders.
I was determined to challenge that perception. Interestingly, I also saw it as a commercial opportunity. Difficult market conditions often reveal the clearest gaps, and the lack of trusted local beauty products showed us exactly where the opportunity existed.
The market needed products that combined quality, accessibility, availability, and affordability. Our responsibility was to demonstrate that an African brand could deliver all four without compromising its standards.
Ultimately, the products became our strongest form of persuasion. Once consumers and retailers experienced the quality for themselves, their perception began to change and their confidence in the brand grew.
We did not change the narrative through words alone. We changed it by consistently delivering products that performed well and gave the market a compelling reason to believe in Zaron.
You started with one product line and now have franchise stores in five countries. Was there a moment when you realized Zaron had become bigger than you ever imagined?
I don’t think Zaron has become bigger than I can imagine, because I’ve always had a very big picture in my mind of what I want Zaron to become.
I like to think big because it keeps me from getting to a point where I feel like we’ve conquered it all.
Even at this level, I still believe there is so much more that Zaron has to do, so much more to achieve, and so much more to conquer.
So, in many ways, I’ve seen the picture in my mind, and I’ve watched parts of it come to pass. And that gives me even more confidence that there is still a long way to go.
For me, the vision has never been about getting to a point and saying, “We’ve made it.”
It’s about continuing to grow, continuing to impact, and continuing to build. Zaron just has to keep going and going.
What inspired you to expand into skin and wellness with Skin by Zaron?
The decision was driven by a combination of long-term vision and market opportunity.
Skincare had always been part of Zaron’s broader growth strategy, but the COVID period accelerated the shift. Consumer behaviour changed significantly as people wore less makeup and became more focused on skincare, treatment, wellness, and developing effective personal care routines.
It was an uncertain and challenging period for the beauty industry. However, rather than allowing the disruption to discourage us, we paid close attention to the market and recognised an emerging consumer need.
I have always believed that some of the most difficult moments can also present the greatest opportunities. The important thing is to remain observant, adaptable, and prepared to respond when the right opportunity emerges.
For Zaron, that period confirmed that the time was right to introduce Skin by Zaron. It allowed us to meet an evolving consumer need while taking a strategic step towards our broader vision for the business.
Can you share a time early on when someone said no to you and it still sticks with you today?
That is difficult to answer because, in both life and business, you encounter rejection constantly. Building a business in Nigeria comes with many forms of “no.” Sometimes it is a direct rejection, but at other times it appears as inadequate infrastructure, inefficient systems, complex processes, or limited access to the resources required to grow.
However, I have never allowed myself to focus on any individual rejection. My instinct has always been to look beyond the immediate disappointment and identify the lesson or opportunity within it.
As I reflect on the early years, I honestly cannot remember one particular “no” that has stayed with me. That is not because rejection did not happen. It happened many times. I simply made a conscious decision not to give those experiences a permanent place in my mind.
I am intentional about focusing on what is possible. Even when circumstances do not unfold as expected, I believe there is usually something valuable to learn or another opportunity to pursue.
That mindset has helped me remain resilient, find alternative solutions, and continue moving the business forward.
If Zaron Cosmetics were a person, how would you describe its personality?
I would describe Zaron as classy, elegant, simple, and kind.
It would be a person guided by Christian values, with a genuine love for people and a strong commitment to giving back. It would also be resilient, confident, and, of course, beautiful.
These qualities define both the personality and values of the brand. Zaron represents beauty on the outside, but it also has a heart. We want that character to be reflected not only in our products and visual identity but also in how we treat our consumers, support our communities, and conduct business.
As the founder, which part of the business excites you the most?
Leadership and management, definitely.
I am not naturally drawn to desk-based or back-office responsibilities. My strengths are in building relationships, managing people, developing new ideas, setting strategic priorities, and maintaining a clear view of the larger vision.
I consider myself an entrepreneur in the truest sense. I enjoy identifying opportunities, connecting with people, assembling the right teams, and turning ideas into commercially viable businesses.
I am very much a people person. Building relationships, developing talent, and creating an environment in which people can contribute meaningfully to the organization are important to me.
I thrive when I am setting the direction of the business, shaping its growth strategy, and bringing people together around a shared vision.
Can you tell us about a franchise or product launch that nearly failed?
Many years ago, we developed a product and produced approximately 30,000 units for the market.
We believed we had followed the right process. We had invested significantly in research and development and completed what we considered to be the necessary preparation. However, when we assessed the final product, it did not meet our quality standards, and we made the difficult decision not to launch it.
We could have released the product in an attempt to recover our investment, but even in the early years, Zaron operated by a clear principle: if we are not completely confident in a product, we will not take it to market.
As a result, we accepted the financial loss and wrote off the entire inventory.
Although it was a difficult commercial decision, I am grateful for the experience because it taught us valuable lessons about product development, quality assurance, and risk management. More importantly, it reinforced a principle that remains fundamental to the business: we would rather absorb a short-term loss than compromise the quality of our products.
Protecting our brand equity and consumer trust has always been more important than generating revenue from a product that does not meet our standards. A short-term sale is never worth the long-term damage an inferior product can cause to a brand’s reputation.
I believe that commitment to quality and our willingness to make difficult decisions in the best interests of our consumers are among the reasons people continue to trust Zaron.
Why did you choose to expand into skincare instead of focusing only on growing the makeup line? We recognized a clear opportunity in the market. Expanding beyond makeup had always been part of Zaron’s long-term growth strategy. When consumer behaviour shifted during the COVID period, and interest in skincare increased significantly, we saw that the market was ready and believed it was the right time to act.
Makeup was our entry point into the beauty industry, but we have always viewed Zaron as a comprehensive beauty brand rather than a business limited to one category. Expanding into skincare was therefore both a natural progression and a strategic business decision.
It allowed us to respond to an evolving consumer need, diversify our product portfolio, and take another important step towards the broader vision for Zaron.
What is something that building the Zaron brand has given you that you never expected it would?
Building Zaron has given me a deeper understanding of the role faith plays in shaping the outcome of your life.
The journey has taught me to trust God, recognize my own strength, and remain positive even when the path ahead is uncertain. It has also shown me that when you act with integrity, remain disciplined, and continue doing the work, the results will eventually follow.
Beyond commercial success, Zaron has taught me important lessons about kindness, purpose, and responsibility. A business should not exist solely for the benefit of its founder. It should create value for its employees, consumers, partners, and the wider community.
Through Zaron, I have seen how a business can create employment, support entrepreneurs, develop people, and improve lives. That has given the work a meaning that extends far beyond products, revenue, or market share.
The greatest gift Zaron has given me is a deeper appreciation of faith and purpose, as well as a clear understanding of the responsibility that comes with success.
What does leadership look like for you day to day, fifteen years in?
For me, effective leadership begins with knowing how to respond to different situations.
It is knowing when to be firm and when to show flexibility, when to make a quick decision, and when to step back and listen.
It also means refusing to be limited by other people’s expectations. As a woman in business, I do not believe we have to accept the idea of a glass ceiling. If a barrier exists, it can be challenged and ultimately broken.
Leadership is not about being perfect or having all the answers. It requires the self-awareness to recognize what you do not know and the confidence to rely on people whose knowledge and expertise may be greater than your own.
On a practical level, leadership involves setting a clear strategic direction, creating room for the team to contribute, and making difficult decisions when necessary. It also means taking full responsibility for the results of those decisions and the overall performance of the business.
After 15 years, I have learned that an effective leader does not need to know everything. The real responsibility is to bring together the right people, ideas, and resources and ensure that they are aligned with the organization’s vision.
What advice would you give to a young widow who is quietly trying to rebuild her life right now?
First, I would acknowledge how difficult the experience is.
Losing someone you love and suddenly having to rebuild your life can be overwhelming. It is important to give yourself permission to grieve and process the pain without feeling pressured to recover according to anyone else’s timeline. At the same time, you must hold on to the belief that there is hope beyond your present circumstances.
With time, healing can begin. You must also remember that your circumstances do not define the entirety of who you are. You still have the ability to shape the next chapter of your life.
Find the strength to care for yourself and, if you have children, to support them through their own journey. Gradually begin to reconnect with your goals, aspirations, and the future you still want to create.
Sometimes, pain can become familiar, and remaining within it can feel safer than moving forward. However, as difficult as it may be, you must eventually find the courage to take one step at a time.
Your story does not end because you became a widow. You can still thrive, fulfill your purpose, pursue your ambitions, and build an extraordinary life.
Widowhood may be part of your story, but it does not have to define its conclusion.
Is there a version of success you once wanted but no longer care about?
No, not really. My definition of success has remained consistent over the years. I have always viewed success through two measures: growth and contribution. I consider myself fortunate to have experienced both.
For me, success has never been centered on temporary achievements or external symbols. Those things can change, and I do not attach my identity or sense of fulfillment to them.
What matters is that I continue to grow personally and professionally, that the business continues to develop sustainably, and that the work we do makes a meaningful contribution to people’s lives.
I am comfortable with that definition of success because it reflects both progress and purpose. It allows me to measure achievement not only by what I have built, but also by the value I have created for others.
What do you envision for the next 15 years of the Zaron brand?
I envision Zaron becoming a truly global brand.
I want Zaron to remain at the heart of Africa’s beauty industry while taking the African beauty story to consumers around the world. Our ambition is to build a brand that is globally relevant, commercially competitive, and recognized for its deep understanding of African women and women of colour.
I also want Zaron to become a model of what an African beauty business can achieve. It should inspire other homegrown brands to raise their standards, think beyond their immediate markets, and build structured, sustainable, and successful businesses across Africa and beyond.
Technology will undoubtedly play an important role in the next phase of our growth. It will influence how we innovate, develop products, understand consumer behaviour, strengthen our operations, and engage with customers across different markets.
Over the next 15 years, the goal is to deepen our presence in Africa, expand strategically into international markets, and continue building a business that creates lasting value for our consumers, employees, partners, and communities.
Ultimately, I want Zaron to demonstrate that an African beauty brand can originate on the continent, compete at the highest level, and build a legacy with global relevance.
