Beauty Therapy Institute (BTI) Lagos

What Beauty Therapy Institute (BTI) Lagos does

Beauty Therapy Institute (BTI) operates as a multi-country accredited vocational training provider for the beauty and aesthetics industry, headquartered in Bryanston, Sandton, South Africa under the legal entity Sandy Roy Beauty Therapy Institute (Pty) Ltd. Founded in 2015, BTI delivers beauty therapy, skincare, nail technology, hairdressing, makeup artistry, massage, and advanced aesthetics training across 23 campuses in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, and the United Kingdom. The curriculum is structured around more than 85 courses comprising over 60 individual modules and 25 combination bundles, with prices in South African Rand ranging from approximately R1,900 for short theory modules to R46,665 for advanced aesthetics specialist programs. Training is delivered through a blended model combining self-study e-books or printed materials with hands-on practical work in student salons on real clients, and students may pursue optional internationally portable certifications through iTEC and CIDESCO.

BTI generates revenue primarily through one-time course tuition fees, supplemented by training kit sales (required equipment for practical coursework), international examination fees for iTEC and CIDESCO credentials, and affiliate referral fees from student loan partners Student Hero and Manati. The company holds QCTO accreditation in South Africa and registrations with iTEC, SAAHSP, and CIDESCO, providing regulatory differentiation in a fragmented market where formal accredited training is scarce. Distribution operates via a franchise model with independently owned campuses applying directly through the BTI website or visiting campus locations, supported by phone and WhatsApp enrollment support. The customer base consists of aspiring beauty professionals and beauty entrepreneurs seeking accredited credentials to launch salons, spas, and aesthetics clinics across Africa, with 900+ current students and 14,000+ lifetime certificates issued. Marketing leverages student testimonials, social media campaigns, and earned media coverage including national press in Nigeria and industry awards such as the iTEC/VTCT Excellence Awards Africa 2024 and SAAHSP Indaba Awards 2025.

Name

Beauty Therapy Institute (BTI) Lagos

Legal name

Sandy Roy Beauty Therapy Institute (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://beautytherapyinstitute.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Beauty Therapy Institute (BTI) is an accredited vocational training provider operating 23 campuses across Africa and the UK, delivering beauty therapy, skincare, nail, hair, makeup, and advanced aesthetics courses to aspiring beauty professionals and entrepreneurs seeking internationally portable certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Beauty Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Esthetics / Skincare (EDAOALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Makeup Artistry (EDAOALAF), Nail Technician Training & Certification (Nail-Focused) (HSALACAN)

Keywords

• Beauty therapy training
• Professional skincare education
• Hairdressing certification
• Cosmetology courses
• Aesthetics training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lekki, Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices21 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition Fees: Primary revenue from course tuition fees charged to students for beauty therapy, skincare, nails, hair, and makeup training programs. Prices vary by course complexity and duration, with combination courses offering a 10% discount for full upfront payment.
2. Training Kit Fees: Revenue from sale of training kits and equipment required for practical coursework. Kits can be purchased individually per module or as complete kits for combination courses.
3. International Examination Fees: Additional revenue from international certification examinations including iTEC and CIDESCO, which provide students with internationally recognized qualifications.
4. Student Loan Financing: Partnership with Student Hero and Manati to provide student loans to South African ID holders, with BTI facilitating the connection between students and financing partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Beauty Therapy Institute (BTI) Lagos provides accredited, hands-on vocational training in beauty therapy disciplines including skincare, nail technology, hairdressing, makeup artistry, and massage therapy. The institute operates across 23 campuses in Africa and equips students with industry-recognized certifications aimed at launching careers in the beauty and wellness sector.

Product overview

Beauty Therapy Institute (BTI) is a multi-location beauty and hairdressing training institution offering accredited education across Africa. The organization provides a comprehensive portfolio of courses organized into six main categories: Skincare (including Manual Facials, Microneedling, Advanced Skin Peelings, Microdermabrasion, and Facial Electrical Treatments), Nails (manicures, pedicures, gel and acrylic nail technology, and nail art), Hairdressing (cutting, colouring, styling, chemical reformation, braiding, and extensions), Makeup (bridal, day/night, advanced, and theatrical), Massage (holistic, stone, sports, and pregnancy massage), and Theory modules (Anatomy & Physiology, Business Administration, Cosmetic Science, Chemistry, Client Relations Management). The institution offers individual module courses as well as bundled Combination Programs that provide 10% discounts for upfront payment. Students can add optional international certifications through iTEC and CIDESCO. The teaching methodology combines self-study e-books or printed materials for theory components with hands-on practical training in campus student salons. Payment options include full payment upfront, installment payment plans, and third-party student loans through approved finance partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Skincare Therapy Course

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,000+ graduates certified
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• iTECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational certification body providing iTEC International Certificates for BTI graduates, enabling international career opportunities. BTI recognized as Distinguished Centre at iTEC/VTCT Excellence Awards Africa 2024.
• CIDESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational beauty therapy certification organization. BTI offers CIDESCO Manual Facial and CIDESCO International qualifications at selected campuses for internationally recognized credentials.
• SAAHSPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth African Association of Health and Skincare Practitioners. BTI is registered with SAAHSP and SAAHSP Woman of Honour award was given at SAAHSP Indaba Awards 2025.
• QCTOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuality Council for Trades and Occupations. BTI is accredited by QCTO, creating recognized qualifications within South Africa's National Qualifications Framework.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Schwarzkopf Professional Academy: International haircare and education powerhouse with an academy network across multiple continents. Comparable as an internationally recognized vocational training brand targeting the same beauty professional cohort.
• Toni&Guy Academy: Global hairdressing education brand operating academies in multiple countries. Overlaps with BTI on hairdressing vocational training but specializes in hair rather than the full multi-discipline beauty stack BTI offers.

Regional players

• The Beauty Academy (UK): UK-based accredited beauty therapy training provider delivering VTCT/iTEC-aligned programmes. Comparable for accreditation quality and modular catalog, although it does not directly serve BTI's core African markets.
• Health & Skin International (Nigeria): Specialist aesthetics training provider operating in West Africa. Comparable as a regional competitor with overlap on advanced skincare and aesthetics modules in BTI's Nigerian footprint.

Direct peers

• Camelot International: Multi-campus South African beauty and wellness education provider with both own campuses and franchise operations. Closest direct competitor to BTI on franchise-led African expansion, course breadth across skincare/hair/nails, and international certification offerings.
• North-West Beauty Academy: Regional South African beauty school offering CIDESCO-aligned programmes. Comparable to BTI in scope and accreditation rather than in scale; useful for benchmarking regional unit economics.
• Elizabeth International Beauty Academy: South African beauty therapy training institution with modular courses in skincare, body treatments and nails. Comparable mid-sized peer for African beauty vocational education outside of the leading two players.
• Isa Carstens Academy: Long-established South African private beauty therapy college offering CIDESCO/iTEC-aligned diplomas across skincare, body, and aesthetics. Directly comparable to BTI on geography (SA HQ), accreditation stack (CIDESCO/iTEC/SAAHSP), and product catalog (skincare, body, aesthetics).
• Lasecollege: Specialist South African aesthetics training school focused on advanced skincare, laser, and device-led treatments. Overlaps with BTI's advanced aesthetics modules (microneedling, chemical peels, electrical facials) and shares the SAAHSP accreditation framework.

Others

• CIDESCO International: Global beauty therapy certification body that accredits schools like BTI. Included as an ecosystem participant rather than a competitor — relevant for understanding BTI's regulatory and certification moat and as a benchmark for quality standards.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bti-lagos

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Beauty Therapy Institute (BTI) Lagos