In Ghana’s thriving beauty and wellness industry, one entrepreneur is proving that tradition and science can blend seamlessly to create globally competitive products. Francesca Brenda Opoka, the founder of Solution Oasis Limited, left a promising corporate career to tap into the country’s abundant natural resources, turning shea butter and cocoa butter into premium skincare products now stocked worldwide.
Ghana is one of the world’s leading producers of shea butter, contributing over 12% of the global supply and playing a crucial role in the country’s agricultural exports. For Francesca, growing up in northern Ghana—where shea butter is a household staple, sparked an idea that would later redefine her career.
“I worked in corporate Ghana, but my passion was always in natural skincare,” she told Zuba Network. Reflecting on her roots, Francesca shares, “I grew up in the northern part of Ghana, where shea butter is a staple. When the world began to appreciate its value, I saw an opportunity.”
Today, Solution Oasis operates a factory on the outskirts of Ghana, employing 30 individuals and collaborating with approximately 600 women who supply raw materials. With a monthly production capacity of 10 tons across its different product lines, the company has built a reputation for producing high-quality, science-backed skincare using indigenous African ingredients.
“Our products combine traditional methods with scientific advancements and can go onto any shelf in any part of the world,” Francesca said. “They’re premium, but they retain authenticity and, most importantly, integrity. You know, when we tell you that this does that, it does it, and that’s what’s important.”
Sustainability is at the core of Solution Oasis’s operations. The company adheres to a sustainability policy that ensures the use of environmentally friendly ingredients and practices. Francesca notes, “Even though we are small, we actually have a sustainability policy, and that policy involves making sure that we don’t do anything or use any ingredients that are harmful to the planet. We are also very sensitive to the environment around us, making sure that we are bringing others along with us.”
Today, Solution Oasis products are stocked in major supermarkets across Ghana, including duty-free stores at Kotoka International Airport, and have expanded into key markets in the United States and Australia. But for Francesca, Africa is the next frontier.
Despite its success, Francesca says growing a beauty brand beyond Ghana’s borders presents several challenges.
“Most entrepreneurs will say access to finance is the first challenge, but I would not start with that. I would say mastering the technology to be able to meet the challenges of the evolving world is a big one, and also access to markets,” she says. “It is surprising that you find people who so love the products, but being able to get the proper, formal channels that will help you move the volumes that make us move from small business to medium and to large is something that I’ve not been able to master, and it’s the biggest thing that I’m looking at mastering.”
To overcome some of these barriers, one of her strategies has been certification and ensuring her products meet international health and safety standards. Solution Oasis is already certified by the Ghana Standards Authority and the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority and is now in the final stages of obtaining organic certification and good manufacturing practice (GMP) certification.
“Certification is so important for women entrepreneurs because most of us just saw our grandmothers having informal small businesses, which were little kiosks in front of the house, and they didn’t need to document anything. Now the time has come for us, their children, who have the education and exposure, to go out very hard and strong into the entire world. And if you’re doing that, then we have to do all the formal things, and that includes certification.”
With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) opening up new markets, Francesca says she is now setting her sights on intra-African expansion.
“I was very happy to learn about the African certification at the 3rd African Women in Processing Forum, which I’m going to apply for immediately, because at least for our own continent, we should be able to be fluid in terms of moving products from one country to another, provided we are certified, so that we know we are taking healthy and safe products to people. And that is why certification is very important for all of us. We should never say we are small businesses. We are never too small to get certification.”
For Francesca, the bigger picture is about keeping Africa’s wealth in Africa.
“This is a premium product made by Africans, for Africans. By investing in value addition and ensuring fair pay for our suppliers, we can strengthen Africa’s economy while taking our products to the world.”
This spotlight feature is part of Zuba Network’s coverage of the 3rd African Women in Processing (AWIP) Forum, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “Taking Advantage of Opportunities Under the AfCFTA—A Path to Prosperity.” An initiative of the African Union, the forum provides a platform for African women in processing to collaborate, share best practices, and explore regional opportunities.
