[dropcap custom_class=”normal”] My eaves dropped at dinner last night and I heard someone ask “Why buy Nigerian?” with the main bone of contention being the quality of made in Nigeria products.
If you ask me, (even if you don’t I’d still tell you anyway) the concern of quality particularly is a little bit played out. Nigerians are not only becoming more innovative; most are also paying supreme attention to detail and quality. [/dropcap]
Besides, that’s why there are businesses like Bellafricana, to select and verify ONLY Nigerian made products of maximum quality.
While there are some group of people that religiously buy Nigerian, there are also others who turn up their noses at a great looking functional product because it has been tagged “locally made” and they view such product as being beneath them and inferior belonging to the hoi polloi.
Thankfully, some elites like Mr Olusegun Awolowo and Bukola Saraki to name a few, encourage and endorse made in Nigeria products with the former even starting a trend on social media last year using the hashtag #buynaijatogrownaira
The word “Local” simply means something relating to a particular area or ones neighborhood, which is basically what made in Nigerian brands are.
The unstable rise-and-fall of the Naira and its precarious rates against the dollar is worrisome and a cause for concern that calls for urgent attention.
The one way to solve this challenge is for all well meaning Nigerians to start patronizing locally made goods and services.
- Buying made in Nigeria goods will promote employment as the ripple effect will be a high demand of labor.
- Patronizing made in Nigeria products will promote small and medium businesses, solidifying the economy and will add value to the country.
- Buying made in Nigeria products will give naira leverage against the dollar and will help protect the country’s foreign reserve making Nigeria more financially independent.
- Buying made in Nigeria goods will have a positive effect on the environment because most of the goods will be produced with local raw materials. This will reduce waste and encourage recycling and upcycling to aid in the preservation of the economy’s natural resources.
- Buying made in Nigeria goods will encourage domestic production and will allow more people look inwards creatively and innovatively.
- Patronizing made in Nigeria products will promote unity and patriotism in the country along with healthy competition.
- Gross Domestic Products are used to gauge the health of a country’s economy. Buying made in Nigeria products will improve and uplift the nation’s GDP as it represents the total value of all goods and services produced over a specific period of time.
If Nigerians begin to look inwards by patronizing each other without the bias of tribe, gender or religion, then together we would have found a way to ensure that Nigeria grows financially locally and globally.
Nigeria can achieve economic and financial prosperity by identifying with Nigerian products. We need to grow into trusting, buying and making use of the local services in our country.
What’s the worst that could happen? Leave a comment below and tell us your thoughts.
Bellafricana sources for quality Made in Nigeria brands. Click here to see the bellafricana verified members.
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