Beauty entrepreneur and influencer Laura Ikeji Kanu has sparked widespread conversation online after criticizing what she described as excessive greed among Nigerian business owners, particularly during the festive “Detty December” season.

In a video shared on her Instagram page, Laura expressed frustration over the sharp rise in prices for everyday services, citing hair braiding as a key example. According to her, a hairstyle she paid ₦70,000 for before leaving Nigeria is now being quoted at ₦200,000, with suggestions that customers should be charged as much as ₦250,000 simply because it is December.

Describing the situation as unreasonable, Laura warned that unchecked price hikes could dampen the festive spirit and discourage people from fully enjoying the holiday season.

She noted that while December is traditionally a period of high demand and increased sales for businesses, exploiting customers under the guise of seasonal demand is unfair and harmful.

Laura also addressed the widespread assumption that Nigerians in the diaspora are wealthy and can easily afford inflated prices. She stressed that many returnees are regular people who work hard, save throughout the year, and come home to relax—not to be exploited.

According to her, the trend of inflating prices for returning Nigerians has persisted for years and is now becoming excessive. She questioned the justification for nearly tripling service fees within a short period, arguing that even the previous ₦70,000 charge was already expensive.

Extending her criticism beyond the beauty industry, Laura blamed the housing sector for worsening the situation. She alleged that the growth of short-term rentals such as Airbnb has contributed significantly to rising rent nationwide, as landlords increasingly model annual rent prices after lucrative short-let rates.

Reiterating her position, Laura concluded that greed remains a major challenge across multiple sectors in Nigeria, urging service providers to adopt fairer pricing practices, especially during the festive season.