The business of shoe making in Nigeria has become one of the most lucrative ventures in the small scale business sub-sector of the economy in Nigeria. This position is helped by the fact that Nigerians now have increased preference for locally made shoes, as opposed to foreign shoes. Those years seem to have gone for good when people saw locally produced shoes as being inferior. Instead, the reverse appears the case now as they compete favourably well with shoes made in foreign countries.Starting a shoemaking business is generally considered a low risk venture. The reason is simply because everybody needs to wear shoes, at least among the low and middle class people. The truth is if you are selling something that people need, you will always have an entire human race worth of potential customers. But business development experts believe that the idea should not just be to set up a shoe company, but it is important that your brand needs to bring something fresh to the market. The best way to make it with a small shoe business is to carve a niche and offer something that the big brands dont offer.Entering the shoe business is fairly easy. There are no significant barriers to the entry, such as stringent government regulations or prohibitive capital requirement. Of course, one can start a shoe store, even without any high initial capital investment, depending on ones inventory selection and store location. The right location is extremely critical to the success of your shoe retail store. Given the importance of this decision, one needs to carefully evaluate the choices, making sure that the location one finds can attract much traffic and safely remain accessible to customers. The owner of Sleek Shoes, Mr. Chukwudi Anyanwu, says, "The business of shoe making in Nigeria is very lucrative; it is a money spinning business. The demand is a continuous cycle; you cannot go out without wearing shoes. People dont mind changing their shoes every month, if they have the money. There are people who come here every month to purchase shoes."The demand for locally produced shoes is growing at a fast pace. Nigerians are embracing local shoes now. A lot of them now see reasons why local shoes should be preferred over foreign ones. Our products are cheaper and better than some of the foreign shoes. If you want to buy a pair of designer shoes made in China, it will cost you an average of N6,500, while you can get a more quality pair of shoes with that amount here."Responding to enquiries as to why the business is still on a low scale, he said, "The cost of starting a business is not something that is easy. Also, some people dont have the perseverance. When they notice that things are not going fine with them, they chicken out of the business. I have been in this business since 2001, and if I tell you that it is a lucrative business, then take it from me. You need to take your business to a high level. Do not see yourself as a roadside cobbler or shoemaker. I have got to a level that I dont only sell to individuals only, I sell in bulk to organisations and schools; they call us to make orders in large quantities."Lanre Fajumobi, who is into the same business, agrees with Anyanwu, saying, "The business of making shoes is now recognised in Nigeria. It is one of the growing ventures presently. You can start with a little capital but as you move on, you will need to increase your capital base so that your profit can also increase simultaneously."He, however, says that there were challenges when he started the job but because he had passion for the job, he was able to overcome his obstacles. "You must have passion for the job because there are some challenges you will face that will make you dump or withdraw from the business. These challenges come most at the early stage of the business. When I started, it was difficult for me to convince people to buy made-in -Nigeria shoes. But now, we have notable people, who come here to make shoes," he says.He adds, "Nigerians are fashionable people who have taste. We are very concerned about how we look and what we wear. So the demand is already there."Speaking on product marketing, Fajumobi says, "When you design your shoes very well and they are of good quality, your work will speak for you and people will look for you. Although, at the initial stage, you may need to attend exhibitions and trade fairs but ultimately, your products will speak for you."
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