Reginald Anuforo
Emma Abiagom is the Chief Executive Officer of Ecab Products Limited. He worked with Radio Nigeria Ibadan for five years before proceeding for further studies at the University of Ibadan and University of Lagos where he obtained first and second degrees in Political Science and Philosophy and Public Administration for his masters degree. He worked with Obike Industries Nigeria Limited, a reputable chemical and cosmetics fragrance marketing company as Area Manager, Lagos office before opening his own business.
In this interview, Abiagom spoke extensively on his interest in manufacturing, the challenges and his advice to those who are aspiring to go into production.
Motivation for manufacturing
Manufacturing has always been my dream right from youth and my interest and motivation was intensified when, as a young man, I saw a small bakery located near our house at Ibadan. I was excited about how busy the bakery was and various activities going on in that small industry. Very early in the morning and late evening, buyers besieged the bakery. The level of patronage it enjoyed then was encouraging and that further stimulated my interest to become an industrialist. It was a small industry when it commenced operation but with passage of time, it became a reputable and gigantic bakery within the area.
When I was in the university, my mind was preoccupied with manufacturing business, no matter how small it may be. Today, I thank God I was able to achieve that. We are into a small manufacturing business. People will identify or know you with what you are producing and you can always take your production to any level you want if you work hard.
How lucrative is this business?
Well, one thing I want to say about business profitability is that virtually every business venture is lucrative depending on how you want to go, how much you know about the business and what you want to make out of it. There is no business enterprise anyone wants to engage in without having some people already in the industry. By the time you conceive the idea of going into such business, something must have attracted you to such business. It is not really one business that is lucrative, but virtually all business lines. You see, some people who are into a business line and are making ends meet, but other people might not know how much the person has invested into the business to make his business grow. All they want to know is that this man is making it. His business is growing and we want to engage in that particular business, without realising how much the man sacrificed into the business that made it what it is.
Some people enter into business without proper orientation, business sense and right approach. They do not focus on a particular venture. They will try this one today, tomorrow another one. Before long, they have abandoned the exercise completely and become Jack of all trades and master of none. To them, business is not lucrative. Every business venture is lucrative provided you put the right investment, remain focused and identify what you want to make out of the business. Sincerely speaking, I do not think there is a bad business.
Our products
Ecab is a small manufacturing outfit and we are into production of household products like air freshener, liquid hand wash and toilet cleaner. Our major products are Esca Susan air freshener, Esca Susan lemon air freshener, Esca Delight air freshener and Esca liquid hand wash.
The specific functions of these products are to clean, refresh and deodorise our environment for healthy living. Each product is made of a different fragrances but all perform same function depending on the preference of the customers. All the products are designed to give special scent and unique freshness with lasting effect when sprayed in or around the house, offices, hotels rooms and hospitals.
Our products’ performance
Well, the market is very big and we are doing the much we can by pushing our products into the market. Our products are not the only items in the market. Our competitors equally have their own products. Sincerely speaking, we are facing serious competition from other companies in the market. Though we have not explored the market completely, we still have to do more than we have done presently. What we are trying to do is to secure our segment of the market. Though our products are in the market, not everybody knows and buys our items. It is good to have competitors and that will enable us reengineer our products to a standard that will stand the test of time.
What we are looking at now is a situation where our products will be known and become household products in every home and could be seen in all the available stores and shops in the market. In terms of performance, it is the marketer that will prove that to us. It is not for us to determine our products’ performance in the market so far.
Challenges facing our business
Presently, it is not only our business that is being challenged. Every other organisation, and even the government, is facing one problem or the other. The challenges are enormous but by the special grace of God, we are weathering the storm. Lack of electricity supply has been hampering our production process. Since we commenced operation in 1999, it was just last year 2017 that we were connected to the national grid. All along, we have been depending on power generators, burning fuel and diesel, which is not economical. Even the power supply is not regular yet. It is not something one can depend on for maximum production.
Funding has also been a serious drawback to the expansion because there are certain materials we are supposed to stock as small manufacturing outfit, but financial challenges have not allowed us to attain that height. There is also the problem of high cost of raw materials due to fluctuation of exchange rate. Virtually prices of all production related materials have unreasonably escalated in the market and this will eventually affect the end users. The challenges of employees are there also. When they are looking for job, they will promise to do anything you ask them to do, but the moment they are employed, they will not be ready to work. They will be full of excuses, applying for excuse duty every week, and would want to collect salary at the end of every month. It is a serious problem to us. It is not really peculiar to us as a firm, it is a general issue in the country.
Sometimes I discuss with CEOs of other organisations to share their experiences too and they will narrate same story, which means challenges are everywhere in Nigeria. But we cannot succumb to challenges, rather we will try our best to ensure our business succeeds.
Staying power
Honesty, sincerity and quality. We make sure we satisfy our customers with whatever they desire. We also ensure that our packages are excellent and attractive to our customers. Quality product is what every customer deserves. Therefore, our products are synonymous with quality, which cannot be compromised despite the threat of economic recession. Our customers value and cherish truth and that is why we are always standing on the truth in whatever we do in our organisation. We also admire good products from our competitors. If we find their products superior to ours, we will definitely upgrade and give the customers the best they need. These factors distinguish, sustain and have kept us in business. No matter the high cost of production, we cannot alter our standard formulation, which the customers know us for.
Effect of recession on our production
Well, really it has affected us tremendously just like any other organisation. There is no company or person in Nigeria that is free of impact of economic recession except those who said they are into farming. But I also know that if you are into farming, you will still need other farming chemicals for the business. By the time you have exhausted the materials you have in stock, to replenish them, you will discover that the prices have escalated. It is a big problem for everybody in Nigeria today. The economic policy and situation in the country virtually affected every manufacturing firm and other businesses. The prices of raw materials in Nigeria have gone so high and because we cannot produce without raw materials, we have no option but to purchase them at exorbitant prices, which will eventually impact on the end users. But we cannot increase the prices of our products arbitrarily in as much as we want to remain in business. The raw materials you buy today, if you go next week for the same materials, the prices must have appreciated by 50 per cent to 60 per cent. Despite the high cost of raw materials, we cannot compromise our quality in Ecab Products Nig. Ltd. We cannot imitate what our competitors are doing because of high cost of raw materials – reducing quality of their products. We in Ecab Products Nigeria will remain resolute with quality even in the face of hardest economic reality.
Some interesting moments on the job
Well, you have to do things at your own pace, and what you want to become and achieve tomorrow, it is you that will make the decision. It is you that will lay the foundation of what you would do, nobody will do that for you and you will also determine how the business will run. You have to take your time and not be under pressure because you are not accountable to anybody up there that does not suggest that you have to relax completely. By the time these problems which are disorganising your brain and you are able to sort them out, you will be satisfied and that gives you joy.
Again, when you produce an item which value people, they will cherish, admire and say, “We like this your product. It is very good and lovely. We like it so much.” You will feel happy and great.
Advice for those going into business
My honest advice for those who are aspiring to go into business for them to first identify what they want to do and decide how best they are going to embark on it. They should be patient and meticulous to choose the actual business of their interest which they feel they could handle effectively. They should also have much knowledge of the product they want to produce and push to the market. It is very important they remain focused and steadfast in what exactly they want to do and should not allow distraction to set in.
They will make sure the quality of the products they want to produce will be of high standards and acceptable in the market.
Nigeria is a very big country with much population, it is proper and encouraging for people to engage in manufacturing as to alleviate dependence on foreign made goods. If what we produce here is good and relevant compared to what is being brought from abroad, then there is no need for us to patronize foreign made products and importation of such goods should be discouraged.