The Bank of Industry (BoI), SPAR Nigeria, Manufacturers Resource Centre (MRC) of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Retail Council of Nigeria (RCN), have organised a workshop for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Lagos.
The workshop offered over 70 SMEs comprising consumer goods, clothing and merchandise, cosmetics, and others extensive insight into the dynamics of modern day retail business. The five-part series was facilitated by leading members of industrial and retail associations in the country.
BoI Regional Head, SME Division, Mr. Adetokunbo Akinsola, who facilitated the session entitled: “Small businesses and the Bank of Industry,” unfolded several financing opportunities and options for small businesses some of which were yet to be explored by businesses due to lack of information on BoI’s fund offerings.
MRC Managing Director, Ms Doris Onwugamba, addressed the topic: “Growth and sustainability of the manufacturing business’’, said small businesses needed to take advantage of the pool of resources the association had to offer.
According to her, “trends are changing rapidly”. “Many things we used to travel out to China and other parts of the world to produce can now be done effectively and efficiently here in Nigeria, from quality and affordable printing to labelling and other complex production processes,” she said.
Onwugamba said factories are beginning to work and if Nigeria must grow, “we must begin to patronise Nigeria.”
Participants were delighted by the testimonials of two business owners, who have been supplying their locally produced goods to SPAR Nigeria for years.
They were Executive Director, Amel International Services Limited, Akan Peter Nsek and Executive Director, Ashley and Michaels, Emmanuel Obiorah Anyaralu, whose businesses have grown from ‘trading’ to ‘manufacturing’ and their products have had the opportunity to compete favourably with foreign products in stores nationwide.
On the various benefits of embracing standardisation, SPAR Nigeria Group Managing Director, Mr. Haresh Keswani, said SMEs workshops would continue to give small businesses the opportunity to rebrand and target a larger market.
The workshop, he said, was expected to encourage participants to undergo the test to qualify to exhibit their products in a bazaar to be held at SPAR in Ilupeju, Lagos, where shoppers can see and buy their products.
Makers of products that are highly favoured and bought by shoppers will qualify to have their products displayed and distributed across SPAR stores nationwide.
Michael Edemayibo of SPAR said the company would continue to support SMEs through free retail workshops, products bazaar and exhibitions to encourage patronage of locally produced goods in all its stores.
Former Director, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. Ogochukwu N. Mainasara, presented a paper on “Requirements for compliance with requisite standards of the NAFDAC CODEX.”
