Post by Trade facilitator on Jan 7, 2015 14:58:13 GMT 1
Chief Executive, The Thy Global Investment Limited, Ismail AbdulAzeez, owns a thriving agro export business in Sango Ota in Ogun State. The business started in 1999.
About 15 years later, it has become a multi-million naira enterprise, employing no fewer than 50 Nigerians working as pickers, quality controllers and helpers.
The story of AbdulAzeez is that of a man that rose from rags-to-riches story.
An accountant by training, life was indeed difficult for him when he first started. He began by strutting the streets of Lagos in search of a job.
When his efforts did not pay off, he, resorted to picking snails on the roads to eke out a living.
He never had a dream of starting a business that would grow in a short time.
From picking snails, he started a new business changed the course of his life. The demand for snails helped him to tap into a market capable of generating high profit even with little financial outlay.
With market insight, AbdulAzeez reared giant African snails, which could grow up to 20 cm (7.9 inches). At harvest, he sold to a number of luxury hotels and high-class restaurants making good money. Gradually, the business of snails farming appeared to him a venture that could help young entrepreneurs climb their way out of poverty. From snails, his dream of becoming a successful businessman was realised.
At the small business grew, he sought and found additional training on different sustainable small and medium enterprises, this time in grass cutter farming. This became his next destination. He eventually moved into beekeeping and then food stuff exports.
So far, it has been a very long journey, working on different business ventures. But in all, the success of his agro exports business has helped him to address the big hurdle of securing capital. His story of success is unusual. But his struggle is common to many of Nigeria’s entrepreneurs. Chiefly, agro exports has given him a giant leap. Thanks to trade liberalisation and the spiralling demand for agro exports which are sourced from most parts of the country.
As his business empire grew, he was attracted to the lucrative business of charcoal export.
According to him, the huge demand for charcoal is informed by its used in food grilling and bakery.
Europeans and Americans, he explained, generally look forward to having family picnics and on-site barbeques adding that this trend has contributed to the demand for charcoal.
As a result, he takes advantage of this to export to meet the needs of the coming spring and summer seasons.
Today, the venture is his biggest money spinner and he is one of the country’s leading exporters of charcoal.
Within the last few months, foreign buyers have come to trust the quality of his products, convinced that he offers them nothing but the best. He advises Nigerians to use the opportunity of increasing charcoal import to make money. For him, charcoal is not a business that requires more time to make profit.With an investment of N800, 000, one could make a profit of N300,000 within 40 days.
The initial challenge for new exporters is how to source charcoal because supplies come from as far as Mokwa in Niger State.
Using his own resources, AbdulAzeez has established a central depot at Sango Otta where suppliers bring in charcoal in large quantities. There, the raw charcoal are separated, graded and packaged for export.
That takes a big burden for those who don’t have time to travel to as far as Kogi State to source for the commodity.
He has taken his business to the next level by engaging farmers and other Nigerians to produce charcoal at various forests, one initiative to help to increase and enhance economic growth within the forest zones.
While he has resorted to training more Nigerians to become charcoal exporters, AbdulAzeez is happy to see the business blossom.
He said the project with a vision of improving the livelihood of Nigerians has come this far, increasing hope for young people seeking empowerment through business opportunities.
Source: thenationonlineng.net/comes-charcoal-merchant/
About 15 years later, it has become a multi-million naira enterprise, employing no fewer than 50 Nigerians working as pickers, quality controllers and helpers.
The story of AbdulAzeez is that of a man that rose from rags-to-riches story.
An accountant by training, life was indeed difficult for him when he first started. He began by strutting the streets of Lagos in search of a job.
When his efforts did not pay off, he, resorted to picking snails on the roads to eke out a living.
He never had a dream of starting a business that would grow in a short time.
From picking snails, he started a new business changed the course of his life. The demand for snails helped him to tap into a market capable of generating high profit even with little financial outlay.
With market insight, AbdulAzeez reared giant African snails, which could grow up to 20 cm (7.9 inches). At harvest, he sold to a number of luxury hotels and high-class restaurants making good money. Gradually, the business of snails farming appeared to him a venture that could help young entrepreneurs climb their way out of poverty. From snails, his dream of becoming a successful businessman was realised.
At the small business grew, he sought and found additional training on different sustainable small and medium enterprises, this time in grass cutter farming. This became his next destination. He eventually moved into beekeeping and then food stuff exports.
So far, it has been a very long journey, working on different business ventures. But in all, the success of his agro exports business has helped him to address the big hurdle of securing capital. His story of success is unusual. But his struggle is common to many of Nigeria’s entrepreneurs. Chiefly, agro exports has given him a giant leap. Thanks to trade liberalisation and the spiralling demand for agro exports which are sourced from most parts of the country.
As his business empire grew, he was attracted to the lucrative business of charcoal export.
According to him, the huge demand for charcoal is informed by its used in food grilling and bakery.
Europeans and Americans, he explained, generally look forward to having family picnics and on-site barbeques adding that this trend has contributed to the demand for charcoal.
As a result, he takes advantage of this to export to meet the needs of the coming spring and summer seasons.
Today, the venture is his biggest money spinner and he is one of the country’s leading exporters of charcoal.
Within the last few months, foreign buyers have come to trust the quality of his products, convinced that he offers them nothing but the best. He advises Nigerians to use the opportunity of increasing charcoal import to make money. For him, charcoal is not a business that requires more time to make profit.With an investment of N800, 000, one could make a profit of N300,000 within 40 days.
The initial challenge for new exporters is how to source charcoal because supplies come from as far as Mokwa in Niger State.
Using his own resources, AbdulAzeez has established a central depot at Sango Otta where suppliers bring in charcoal in large quantities. There, the raw charcoal are separated, graded and packaged for export.
That takes a big burden for those who don’t have time to travel to as far as Kogi State to source for the commodity.
He has taken his business to the next level by engaging farmers and other Nigerians to produce charcoal at various forests, one initiative to help to increase and enhance economic growth within the forest zones.
While he has resorted to training more Nigerians to become charcoal exporters, AbdulAzeez is happy to see the business blossom.
He said the project with a vision of improving the livelihood of Nigerians has come this far, increasing hope for young people seeking empowerment through business opportunities.
Source: thenationonlineng.net/comes-charcoal-merchant/
