On the fringes of Nairobi, inside a modest roadside shop, a haircut is taking place that would make most traditional barbers drop their clippers. Ian Njenga sits calmly as Safari Martins, known online as Chief Safro, prepares his tools. They are not the usual array of trimmers and scissors. Instead, the walls are hung with a shovel, garden shears, and a wrench.
From Borrowed Clippers to Viral Sensation
Mr Martins, who was born in Rwanda and now operates in Kenya, began his journey in 2018 while still in high school. He started by offering haircuts with borrowed equipment outside classrooms and in dormitories. His big break came five years later when he swapped a conventional trimmer for a camera and began documenting his wildly unconventional methods.
His techniques involve using a razor-sharp shovel and a heated iron box to shape and shave hair, achieving remarkably clean results. A helper films each session, sharing the spectacle with his combined audience of over a million followers on Instagram and TikTok. This digital strategy has turned him into one of Kenya's most recognisable grooming figures.
The Cultural Heart of the Content
While the bizarre tools initially propelled him to viral fame, Mr Martins has woven deeper cultural threads into his content. He now incorporates traditional African folk tales into his videos' voiceovers. "I'm motivated by African culture, by African stories," he explains, noting that his sharpened iron box was even blessed by village elders.
For customers like Ian Njenga, who first visited last year, the appeal is twofold: a quality haircut and a chance at online fame. "If I compare him with other barbers his talent is next level," Mr Njenga says. "When I get shaved here I get very comfortable … while walking in the streets I get very confident."
The Economics of Digital Stardom in Kenya
The draw of this unique experience commands a premium price. Mr Martins charges up to 1,500 Kenyan shillings (about £8.60) for a cut, a significant sum in a city where a standard trim can cost a tenth of that.
His rise coincides with explosive social media growth in Kenya. DataReportal figures show user numbers surged from 10.6 million in January 2023 to 15.1 million by January 2025—a jump of nearly 50%. This boom has created new economic avenues. A June 2025 brief from the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis found that around 15% of Kenyans engaged in online content creation rely on it as their primary income.
However, Mr Martins highlights a disparity. He argues that barbering influencers do not monetise their success as effectively as creators in gaming, education, or lifestyle. "Barbers get viral on social media but I feel like they are not respected," he states. "You are not paid as a content creator, even though you have the views, even if you have the engagement."
Despite these challenges, Safari Martins represents a burgeoning trend of 'influencer barbers' across Kenya. They are leveraging platforms like TikTok not just for entertainment, but to transform traditional trades into lucrative digital spectacles, one unconventional shave at a time.
