Introduction: Inter-African Marketing (IAM) has been at the forefront of Africa’s fast-evolving travel retail landscape for over four decades. In this interview, Commercial Director Johnny Lakhwani reflects on a region at an inflection point amid changing traveller demographics and rising intra-African mobility expectations of beauty and fragrance retail across the continent.
Lakhwani discusses IAM’s role in translating big beauty brands into locally relevant, world-class retail. He highlights recent milestones such as Scentopia’s debut airport boutique at Accra Kotoka International and the L’Oréal standalone store at Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport as benchmarks for the future.
He also talks about how a new generation of African travellers are driving demand for premium brands and elevated in-store experiences with Dakar, Lagos, Kigali, Nairobi and Luanda offering some of the most immediate growth opportunities.
Looking ahead, Lakhwani argues that Africa’s travel retail potential remains largely untapped, with inter-African travel set to power the next phase of sustainable growth across the region.
The Moodie Davitt Report: How would you characterise the transformation of Africa’s travel retail landscape, and where does IAM see the most immediate opportunities for growth?
Johnny Lakhwani: The African traveller profile has changed dramatically. Until recently, travel was dominated by business passengers who were not typically seeking branded beauty or fragrance products when departing the continent.
Today, we are seeing a far more diverse mix: tourists, returning diaspora, exchange students and younger travellers who are far more fashion- and beauty-savvy. They are engaged shoppers.
For IAM, the most immediate opportunities lie in key hubs such as Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Kigali, Dakar and Luanda. Passenger traffic is growing steadily, but the beauty and fragrance offer in these airports – whether run by local or international operators – remains underdeveloped. As the region’s leading luxury beauty distributor, this gap represents a major opportunity.
Air travel in Africa has grown +5% year-on-year in 2025 so far according to IATA. How is IAM aligning its distribution and brand-building strategy with this surge in passenger volumes and the shift in traveller profiles?
We are working closely with our brand partners to secure mandates that support their travel retail ambitions in Africa. This includes facilitating market entries, new launches and, for brands already present, elevating the quality of in-store execution and expanding reach.
At the same time, we are partnering with retailers to help translate global brand visions into locally executed, world-class consumer experiences.
Our recent opening with Scentopia at Accra Kotoka Airport and the L’Oréal store in Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport demonstrate what is possible in African travel retail – and they represent only the beginning of what IAM intends to deliver.
How is IAM helping brands and retailers respond to the changing consumer mindset of African travellers?
Travellers today expect interaction, expertise and memorable experiences – and African travel retail can no longer function as a self-service environment.
Knowledgeable, well-trained brand ambassadors are essential. They bring the brand story to life, guide product discovery and ultimately drive conversion.
IAM’s role is to ensure that this level of human engagement becomes the norm.
Scentopia’s debut airport boutique in Accra and the L’Oréal-only shop-in-shop in Abuja mark milestones for IAM. What does IAM look for in the airport partners and retailers it chooses to collaborate with?
Above all, our partners must share our commitment to executional excellence. We fully acknowledge the complexities of operating across different African regulatory environments, but these challenges can no longer justify poor consumer experiences.
African travellers now expect – and increasingly demand – the same quality of retail experience in Accra, Lagos or Dakar that they receive in London, Paris or Dubai. We collaborate only with partners who are ready to deliver at that level.
IAM has long championed premiumisation in Africa. How do you balance global luxury standards with the need for locally resonant storytelling and design?
Luxury standards must be non-negotiable. Fixtures, finishes and the overall retail environment must match global expectations. However, localisation is essential in the assortment. Fragrance families and olfactory profiles that resonate strongly with African consumers need to be prioritised.
Here again, the in-store team plays a critical role. Brand ambassadors are responsible for translating both the global brand story and the locally relevant offer into a compelling experience that drives purchase.
You’ve spoken about the gap between independent retailers with limited luxury know-how and global players who sometimes under-deliver in Africa. How is IAM helping to bridge this divide?
With 44 years of experience on the continent, IAM understands both sides of this equation. Our long-standing relationships with skilled local shop fitters, carpenters, lighting specialists and technical teams mean we can deliver stores that are built with local expertise and meet international luxury standards.
Equally important is our ability to train and motivate on-the-ground teams to operate at global levels. Bridging this capability gap is a critical part of our value proposition.
To what extent do you believe the Accra and Abuja openings establish a new benchmark for travel retail beauty on the continent?
These openings represent a genuine turning point, the start of a new era in travel retail in Africa.
When L’Oréal, the world’s largest beauty company makes such a significant investment by opening a fully standalone store in the capital of Africa’s biggest market, it sends a powerful message of confidence in the region.
The stores clearly lay down a marker for other brands and retailers to follow, a catalyst to elevate their own ambitions.
How do you envision travel retail evolving across the continent in the next five years, particularly as inter-African mobility and diaspora travel continue to rise?
Inter-African travel is already the engine driving retail growth. Our data shows that intra-continental travellers often outspend passengers departing Africa for Europe or the Middle East.
As mobility increases and diaspora travel continues to surge, we expect significant commercial uplift. This segment’s growth will shape the next five years of travel retail development across the continent.
IAM has signalled that this is “just the beginning” for elevated beauty retail in Africa. Which markets or airport hubs do you believe are most ready for next-phase investment?
There are many markets ready for transformation. Dakar, Lagos, Kigali, Nairobi and Luanda all offer tremendous potential, with growing passenger numbers and increasingly engaged consumers.
But there are also airports and destinations that may surprise us. The African travel retail opportunity is vast and still largely untapped. We genuinely believe we are only scratching the surface. ✈
