From Local Success to Global Ambition: How Nelly Agbogu is Transforming Nigerian Entrepreneurship

• Nelly Agbogu launched Naijabrandchick to empower Nigerian SMEs by leveraging social media and connecting them directly with customers through a successful trade fair.
• She is expanding her vision globally, with plans to showcase Nigerian businesses in London and other international markets while providing valuable business education and financial support.
• Agbogu aims to replicate her model in various countries and generate over $10 million in revenue per event by 2029, fostering innovation and global visibility for African entrepreneurs.

In the year 2016, Nelly Agbogu took a risk by stepping into business despite a flurry of job cuts at her former post. The company she launched was Nellies Nigeria, a snack company, marking the start of her business career. It wasn’t simply the start of the business from scratch that set her course; it was her observant perception of the gaps in markets and her creative approach to them that shaped her achievement.

Agbogu’s first venture to Nellies Nigeria was a personal determination to control her career path in the midst of job losses. As she built her snack company Agbogu noticed an underlying problem that was affecting other entrepreneurs. Many struggled to make use of social media effectively to promote their companies.

To address the issue, Agbogu founded Naijabrandchick, an online platform that aims to empower Nigerian smaller and mid-sized businesses (SMEs). Her goal was clear, that she wanted to assist these companies to grow and be dominant over their markets with the help of social media as well as by providing market access.

One of the major problems Nigerian SMEs were facing was market access. In order to address this issue, Agbogu introduced the Naija Brand Chick Trade Fair in the year 2018. The fair connects businesses directly with their customers and provides the opportunity for SMEs to present their offerings as well as connect with a larger market.

The fair rapidly began to gain popularity and acclaim with thousands of exhibitors every year. The effect has been significant. A shoemaker from Lagos made a record selling of 1,000 pairs of footwear in two days of the show. A different inspiring tale is about an elderly widow from Benin who, with her participation in the fair, was able to sell products valued at millions of naira substantially improving the financial situation of her family. The stories highlight the success of the fair in providing SMEs with opportunities to sell their products in a way that is unimaginable.

In the same way that Naijabrandchick is thriving, Agbogu is setting her targets for a global presence. She is set to lead a team composed of Nigerian business owners to London on August 17 through 18 to present their services and products at the Intercontinental O2 hotel. This free event, accessible for the general public upon the requirement of registration prior to it, will increase the visibility of African goods and services to the international market and also to educate Nigerian SMEs on international trading trends.

Agbogu’s ambitions extend far beyond London. Agbogu plans to extend her Naijabrandchick strategy to nations like Canada and the UAE as well as Rwanda. She hopes to generate more than the amount of $10 million for each event in 2029. She also plans on giving valuable business-related education via the Dominate Sales and Influence (DSI) program. The program offers low-cost education with the top business executives in order to help entrepreneurs develop essential strategies for growth.

Support for financial services is another important subject of attention. Realizing that the availability of money is an issue for Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises, Agbogu has partnered with Wema Bank to offer low-interest business loans, providing their businesses with the needed financing to grow.

With her work, Agbogu envisions a vibrant future for African business that will be characterized by creativity, international recognition, as well as an enormous economic impact. Her commitment to the transformation of Nigerian SMEs and her ambitious strategies for international expansion show a strong dedication to advancing and supporting African companies on the global stage.