What Is YouWiN!?
YouWiN! stands for Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria. It is an innovative business plan competition aimed at job creation by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in Nigeria to develop and execute business ideas.
"Don't Just Trade. Manufacture." - YouWin Winner
Join us as we analyze the impact of the YouWin! programme and the state of entrepreneurship with our second interview with an awardee from the South-East Nigeria.
Transparent Nigeria: Can you provide us a little more background on yourself? Where are you from and what does your company do?
Attuh Ifeanyi Paul: My name is Mr. Attuh Ifeanyi Paul. I am thirty years old and I am from Ishiagu Village in Umuabi, Udi L.G.A, Enugu State, Nigeria. I have my first degree in Industrial Chemistry from Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki and my Master’s degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka where I majored in Environmental Chemistry. My quest in entrepreneurship started in the year 1999, during my secondary school days when we had an exhibition of locally made products. This prompted my desire to choose Industrial Chemistry as my course of study during my first degree days since almost everyone that took part in the products exhibition were either industrial chemists or biochemists.
However, my desire to venture into cosmetic manufacturing was borne out of the experience I gathered during my Industrial Training programme. When I graduated in 2006, I spent the first four years of my post NYSC working in manufacturing industries as a production Chemist which rekindled my dream of being a manufacturer.
My company is B’Nice Chemical and Allied Industries, a cosmetic products manufacturer. Having been in Research and Development Department in one of the renowned manufacturing Industries in Nigeria, I had the privilege to research and develop products that offer lasting solutions to the effects of microorganisms on the human body and hair. As a result, our products are top-of-the-line, such as our Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner, second-to-none in the fight against dandruff. It’s one the most sought after Anti-Dandruff products on the market. Our product line includes: Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, Anti-Dandruff conditioner, Fruit Bath, Hand Wash, Air Freshener, Styling Gel, and Hair food.- TN: What made you want to start this business?
Attuh: I started my company because the federal Government made it possible through YouWiN programme, bringing into fulfillment my yearning to contribute to national development by creating employment opportunities for our teeming population. Also, I believe that entrepreneurship is the pivot of industrialization and that industrialization is the driving force of economic development of every nation, thus making it a vital instrument that is invaluable if my dear nation is to actualize her vision of 20:2020 (Nigeria 20:2020). Furthermore, I started my business because it is a very lucrative one that can generate enough profit to sustain and expand it.
TN: How did you get into this line of business?
Attuh: I got into my line of business (cosmetic manufacturing) as a result of the experience I gathered during my Industrial Training programme. Also having been in Research and Development Department in one of the renowned manufacturing Industries in Nigeria, I had the privilege to research and develop some pilot products in cosmetics.
TN: What were some of the challenges you encountered before YouWiN?
Attuh: Despite my desire to become an entrepreneur, I never realized this dream due to a lack of financial capital. Moreover, my attempts to access money from any of the banks proved futile as a result of high interest rates and the lack of the required collateral.
TN: Have you had any challenges since becoming an awardee?
Attuh: After becoming a YouWiN Awardee, the major challenge faced by my company has been how to keep up with the demands of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), from infrastructure, product registration and so on. - In
- addition, due to the high financial capital requirement of manufacturing activities in Nigeria, the company is still faced with financial challenges to acquire automated machines to enable us to keep up with market demand.
TN: How has your experience been with the YouWiN process?
Attuh: YouWiN is a very transparent programme that has restored the hope and confidence of Nigerian youths. This was proven further to me on my emergence not just as one of the awardees, but as one of those deemed qualified to attend the presidential award ceremony at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential villa on the 12th of April, 2012 even when I do not know anybody at the top echelon of Nigerian governance. Yes, YouWiN is real and transparent and I wish every other programme in Nigeria could be as transparent as this life changing programme.
TN: How much did you receive from the YouWiN grant?
Attuh: I received a total sum of Ten Million Naira from the YouWiN grant.
As a starter in my line of business, the amount given to me is enough to enable me start my business. But, considering the demand of my products due to their good quality, there is now need for us to acquire more machines to enable us compete favorably with other multinationals in the market which will not only increase our turnover but will as well create more job opportunities for unemployed youths. As of today, we have been able to directly employ eight permanent staff and indirectly more than eleven personnel. I believe a little more financial support will enable us to double this number before the end of the first quarter of 2014.
TN: What do you believe the government can do to help businesses?
Attuh: The government can help businesses in Nigeria by creating enabling environment for businesses to thrive. This can come from infrastructural development, improvement in the power sector, construction of roads, initiating low taxes for new businesses, placing a ban on some of the imported products in which we now have local alternatives, and reducing/removing the bottle necks involved in the registration of new businesses in Nigeria.
TN: What is the future of your business?
Attuh: The future of my business is very bright since after just one year, we have not just sustained the business of cosmetic manufacturing but have also expanded into other businesses such as table water production. However, in the next year we intend to expand into the manufacturing of fruit juice and other non-alcoholic beverages believing that with just little more support, our brands will be a household name in manufacturing sector in Nigeria. With the quality of our products, we are poised to compete favorably with multinationals that have siphoned the economy of this country for over five decades. Yes we can.
TN: Do you have a message for YouWiN administrators or government officials?
Attuh: I want to express my profound gratitude to the initiators, sponsors and administrators of the YouWiN Programme. Indeed, the intent of establishing this noble programme has been worthwhile. Posterity shall remember this administration led by our amiable president Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the Minister of Finance and coordinator of Nigerian economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. This wonderful initiative has not only proffered solutions to the immediate needs of Nigerian youths, but has also secured a future for our unborn generations.
TN: Do you have a message for the Nigerian business community in general?
Attuh: My message to Nigerian business men and women is that the hour has come for all and sundry to put hands on deck and work concertedly in supporting the Transformation Agenda of this present administration which is designed to better the life of every Nigerian citizen. I want to encourage our business owners to venture into the manufacturing of the products they import or trade. As said by business mogul Aliko Dangote, “Don’t just trade on products but manufacture them.- ” This I believe, will increase our country’s GDP and create more employment opportunities to our teeming youths, thereby placing our dear nation in the right footing in the comity of nations.
- source: www.transparentnigeria.com
- addition, due to the high financial capital requirement of manufacturing activities in Nigeria, the company is still faced with financial challenges to acquire automated machines to enable us to keep up with market demand.
- TN: What made you want to start this business?
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