‘Recession is a blessing’
How has the patronage for your product been considering the awareness being created to buy made in Nigeria products? It is amazing. It has improved. To me, the recession is a blessing. It’s good because most people are going back to what they can do. For instance, in my industry, a good bra […]
How has the patronage for your product been considering the awareness being created to buy made in Nigeria products?
It is amazing. It has improved. To me, the recession is a blessing. It’s good because most people are going back to what they can do.
For instance, in my industry, a good bra imported cost about 20 dollars. Multiply that by 400. And when you do that, you are going to make profit, so in the end you may sell for N10,000. But here, we are making a good bra and we are selling it for N3,500. And we are using the same quality, the same fabrics and the same technology.
How long have you been doing this?
Commercially, I will say I opened shop in 2008. The industry for underwear was non-existent in Nigeria then. So, it was something we had to do by trial and error. Before we started, we had to do a lot of technical work, because the bra has to fit any individual we are making it for. Something as small as missing a measurement can throw you off, so you have to be very precise. Till date, it is still work in progress. Even for big companies abroad it’s still work in progress for them.
Did you study this? How did you come about the expertise?
I actually went to a university that teaches it. They had in-house courses for their industry. Abroad, you have all the big industries like Marks and Spencer, Victoria Secrets that organise the courses for them. The beauty of it is that you can buy into it. Which is not cheap? For a five-day course, it would cost 1500 pounds. And they teach you one thing only. And what they teach you is the skeleton. You will fill it up, that is what makes every company different. You have to add your personal touch to it. Luckily when I did that, things were cheaper.
But now, it’s good to use the internet – the ICT. It’s not just using snapchat, instagram and link up with friends. Use your data for something productive. Now, there is nothing you want to learn that you cannot learn on Youtube or online except you are not serious. Everything is there for you to learn if you cannot go abroad. So commit yourself and learn.
What is your advice to other entrepreneurs?
Passion. If you don’t have passion, you will not go far. Because passion is working when you are not making even a kobo. When you believe in that thing you are doing and you want it to grow.
It was not easy starting. When I was going for my course, I sold my jewelry and used the money which I had wanted to use to buy a car. Again, I started with one sawing machine which my mother gave to me. From one to two and then three and it kept growing with consistency. Then, we were not selling. You have to convince people that made-in-Nigeria product is good and it’s standardised.
Another thing for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operators to learn is to standardise their products. I have a friend that makes kuli kuli(peanut bars). I could not believe it. The packaging is perfect. So, that is what we have to work at. We have so many ideas, but what we have to do is standardise. It is very important. Make sure it is acceptable. If you cannot go abroad, buy the second-hand of that product you want;take it apart, study it and improve on it. If it’s a shirt you want to make, get a TM Lewin shirt and see what they are doing. Improve on it. It’s all about innovation. You need passion; perseverance and you need to innovate. Innovation is very important. You have to re-invent yourself. Come up with something new. 20 people can be making one thing, yours can be different.
The course I attended abroad had all the big names in the underwear industry, but then everyone is different and unique in their own way.
What challenges do you face?
Nigeria is a challenge. Lack of power supply. You don’t have a choice but get a generator. Sourcing good fabrics is another challenge. You have to think outside the box.
Where do you see your brand in the next few years?
I see the brand all over Nigeria. Now, we are in Abuja, Kano, and we are going to Lagos. I was in a meeting recently at an African Women Entrepreneurship programme with a group of women and what we concluded is that Nigeria is such a large market. We have not even scratched the surface of our market. Our population is enough. Like Dangote said, Nigeria is the best kept secret when it comes to investment. Look inwards first. People ask me when I want to import my products and I ask them why will I want to import when I have not even finished here. Even in Abuja, we have not touched anything.
The highest point for me was when someone called me and said I can’t differentiate your brand. I want to know if it is different from the one I bought abroad. For someone to say this thing cannot be made in Nigeria, I tell them it is and I show them the label- ProudlyNigerian. We need to own what we do and we need to be proud of what we do.
I go to Aba a lot and I respect Abians to a fault. For me, they are one of the most innovative people in this world. But my problem is when you do something, proudly put your stamp on it. But they don’t, they say nobody will buy. That is the fear. When I started, someone advised me not to put my label on it.For me that was the greatest mistake I ever made. So my first product did not have my label. But subsequently, I stamp proudly made in Nigeria. We will come to respect our own. We must learn to love our own.