- “The Me’longe story you didn’t know you needed…”
At a time when most Nigerian graduates were chasing bank jobs or anything that sounded like “multinational,” Mercy did something wild. She said No! As in, no to a ₦300k/month offer from a bank, no to all career paths her degree prepared her for, and yes to a dream that started in a noisy university hostel with ₦300 and a passion for making women feel beautiful. This is an era when no one knew how to start a hair business in Nigeria as a brand. This didn’t stop and That was the birth of Me’longe.
Back then, Mercy was just styling her friends’ hair for free. You know how it goes, right? The “Come, let me try something on your hair” types. But before long, her friends sat her down like an intervention and said, “Aunty, it’s time to start charging.” So, she did.
She called her brand Mercy’s Lounge at first, and then Me’Lounge, but somewhere along the way, a designer made a typo. It came back as Me’longe. And instead of fixing it, Mercy had a lightbulb moment. The name just… fit. It felt like there was a blend of style, personality, and a bit of “What in God’s plan is going on here?” Divine typo or not, it stuck, and so did the brand.
Today, Me’longe is one of Nigeria’s leading human hair businesses. But don’t get it twisted; it’s not because of flashy ads, influencers, or Lekki billboards. Me’longe grew the old-school way: one satisfied customer at a time. In a period where no one knew how to start a hair business in Nigeria. Mercy delivers orders herself to new customers, just to make them feel cared for. Her order workflow is completely on WhatsApp, from orders to feedback and even to those little gist and hair care advice. Her services are like those of Jumia, but with a little more vibe and some voice notes.
Mercy often says, “Customers are my brand.” And she means it. Every sale she makes is a relationship, not a receipt. People don’t just buy bundles when they make a purchase; they get to feel seen, heard, and hyped up. One customer once said, “Buying from Me’longe feels like getting a pep talk and a hairstyle at once.”
And here’s the quiet flex: by mid-2024, Me’longe had already hit its annual revenue goals. No paid ads. No celebrity endorsements. Just referrals, DMs, and a lot of intentionality and care. In such an era where everyone’s chasing viral moments, Mercy’s out here proving that trust is still the best marketing strategy.
Now, Mercy is expanding. New product lines are in the works. There are a lot of strategic partnerships in view, and even a full digital refresh is on the way. But there’s no rush at all to impress anyone. Time, planning, and intentionality are still front and center. And Mercy is staying true to what matters to her: excellence, affordability, authenticity, and female empowerment. Because, for Mercy, it’s never just been about the hair. It’s about legacy, about reminding women that they are beautiful, bold, and capable, whether they’re in the boardroom or the salon chair.
And if one woman can turn ₦300 and borrowed confidence into a thriving brand just using WhatsApp and word of mouth, then maybe, just maybe, some dreams really do start with a typo and a little faith.
You can find her to various social media platforms like; lnstagram and Facebook.