BusinessDay 26 Feb 2018

Monday 26 February 2018
38 BUSINESS DAY
C002D5556
Start-Up Digest
Nigerian entrepreneurs redefine
furniture-making, interior decoration
ODINAKA ANUDU
Nigerian entrepreneurs
are increasingly
showing that
opportunities in
the country are
only being scratched. Many of
them are introducing innovations,
redefining the sector that
was once known as ‘old men’s
industry’.
In the furniture-making industry,
which is a critical part
of interior decoration, Blessing
Ohikhena Sule has proved that
a woman can do whatever a
man can.
Sule is the chief executive
of the Lagos-based AASIS Resources
Nigeria Limited and
is not ashamed to be called a
‘carpenter’.
A graduate of Computer Science
from the University of
Benin, Blessing also holds an Ordinary
National Diploma (OND)
in Accounting from the Federal
Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State.
The Edo State-born entrepreneur
started with just N2000. She
was motivated to set up her own
business few years ago because
she always wanted to force herself
out of poverty.
“I have always wanted to be
my own boss. I grew up with all
men and have always wanted to
better my life to kill poverty. One
thing I know, for sure, is that if
you don’t build your business,
someone will employ you to
build theirs,” she tells Start-Up
Digest.
The entrepreneur says that
there is a lot of money to make
from furniture-making. She gets
international models from the
Internet and designs them.
Through her work, Blessing
has courted customers from
various spheres of life, including
bank workers, civil servants,
friends and family.
Many low-income Nigerians
are asking
repeatedly about
businesses they can
start with N100,000 or less. We
will try to present three of these
businesses and why they do
not necessarily need so much
money to start.
Fashion and design
What is basically needed
before starting this business
is training. You need six to 12
months’ training and you must
constantly look out for new designs
on the Internet. You can
start this business at home. All
you need is a sewing machine,
which costs less than N40, 000
now. It is, however, important to
note that you can start this business
with less than N100,000,
but someone with deep-pocket
can also start with N5 or N10
million. It all depends on how
much you have. Yejide Elugbaju,
founder and CEO of Rivah
Beauty Limited, told Start-Up
Digest that she started her outfit
Blessing Ohikhena Sule
The social media has also
greatly helped her, having been
marketing her furniture products
via Facebook and other
platforms, while also putting her
handbills on church bulletins.
In terms of what is trending in
the furniture industry, Blessing
says it is what is called ‘Strictly
Antique’. She states that patronage
of locally made furniture is
slow owing to consumer preferences
and petty considerations.
On where she wants to be in
five years’ time, Blessing says she
sees herself owning a big factory.
Next is Marvis Marshal Idio,
chief executive of the Port Harcourt-based
Jacmavis, which
deals in interior design, furniture-making
and construction
in general.
Though the Imo State-born
entrepreneur has been in the industry
for a few years, she came
into prominence in December
of 2016 after winning Season 3
of The Next Titan organised by
Heritage Bank.
A graduate of Architecture
from University of Uyo, and
with second degree in Interior
Designs from Florence Designs
Academy, Italy, Idio walked off
from that competition with N5
million, and a brand new Ford
Ecosport from Coscharis Motors.
One major reason why she
won the prize was her capacity
to turn what is commonly called
‘trash’ into raw materials for
her interior designs and artistic
works. Hence she converts waste
products into goods that are
sought-after.
Her target is to create an African
interior decoration brand
that will be affordable and environmentally
friendly.
She wants to always create
value for the environment and
support others to manage wastes.
By so doing, the country will have
fewer wastes and jobs will be
created along the collection and
conversion value chains.
Her plan is to turn wastes to
wealth, which is when the commonest
things anyone sees in her
factory in Port Harcourt, Rivers
State, are used tyres, cardboard
sheets, pet bottles and old furniture
pieces, among others.
Another entrepreneur that
is making waves in the interior
decoration industry is Mimi
Shodeinde, chief executive of
Minimat Designs.
Shodeinde holds a degree in
Interior Architecture at Heriot
Watt University in Edinburgh,
the UK.
She is based in the UK but is
truly Nigerian. Her artistic work
is not only meant for those in the
UK but also people in Nigeria
and other parts of the world.
She started as an artist and
interior designer and her firm
specialises in furniture and
product design for commercial
and residential projects in the
UK and globally.
“My hope is that Miminat
will have a global platform with
stakes in the commercial, hospitality
sector, government spaces,
art spaces, private spaces
and residential projects. I want
people to recognise my designs
from their distinctive style. Given
the wide breadth of the design
industry, it would be a shame
to limit it to any one particular
industry or sector,” she tells lionessesofafrica.com,
which profiles
African female entrepreneurs.
“Exclusivity is synonymous
with design, but this is something
I want to challenge. I want
anyone who is interested in my
designs, the stories behind the
designs, to be able to have one
of my products in their home.
Personal and financial status
should not prevent anyone from
buying one of my designs; I want
to break the mould on the concept
of exclusive design for high
society.”
Interior design is not exclusive
to female entrepreneurs.
Chukwubuike Nnoli, chief executive
of Zubnol Investment
Limited, is also making waves in
the industry.
Nnoli manufactures interior
decoration products and supplies
them to retail stores, open
markets and several outlets.
Zubnol produces ‘throw pillows’,
bed sheets, baby duvets
and embroidery products. His
basic business is to buy raw
materials, which can be in unfinished
or semi-finished forms,
and turn them into finished pillows,
bed sheets and duvets used
in homes, offices and hospitals.
Based in Awka, Anambra
State, Nnoli’s products are supplied
to distributors and several
outlets that, in turn, sell to final
consumers. Zubnol Investment
Limited started in 2011 with
N190,000 as Zubnol Ventures.
The fund was used to acquire
materials.
From N190, 000, the business
has now grown to over N3
million, supplying products to
over 10 outlets located across
the country.
“Our target is to capture the
local market and the West African
market,” the entrepreneur
tells Start-Up Digest.
“One of the key feedbacks we
get is that our products are well
designed and durable,” he says.
“We are in many stores already
and demand is already
overshooting supply,” he discloses.
“Our target is to satisfy the
burgeoning local demand and
then export to earn foreign exchange.
This, with God, will
happen soon,” he says.
3 businesses you can start with N100,000 or less
ODINAKA ANUDU
in January of 2016 with N50,000.
Laundry
You can start by servicing
the needs of family and friends.
Here is a testimony of the Kwara
State-born Abubakar Sodeek
Arekemashe, a 27- year- old
student, who is now the chief
executive officer of a laundry
outfit called Sky Limit.
“When the idea came to my
mind, I discussed it with my
friends. I told them I wanted
to start a laundry business.
They called it an inferior business.
But I let them realise
that it was nothing to me and
I started it on 24th February,
2017 with just N200.00. It was
easy for me because I had iron,
laundry basket, regular water
supply and electricity. Out of
the money, I bought soap and
starch, then started with three
clothes. Today, I am getting a
number of people who patronise
me,” Arekemashe told Start-Up
Digest.
Online Business
Many digital businesses that
you find in Europe, China, India
and USA are still not here. A
lot of Nigerians are raking in
millions through online sales,
and payment platforms, among
others.
Bamidele Onibalusi is the
founder of Deloni Enterprise,
an online business. Onibalusi
started the business with N15,
000, which he used to register
his website and purchase hosting.
Hear his testimony to Start-
Up Digest:
“I mainly deal with clients
and customers in Europe, America
and other parts of the world.
I also earn my income in dollars
and convert at the current exchange
rate. This ensures that
the recession in Nigeria has little
or no impact on me.