Brands/Products
OmniRetail Positions Self to Digitalise Nigeria’s Supply Chain Gap
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s retail market has so much potential, but while macroeconomic headwinds and currency volatility have weighed on consumer spending power in recent years, new opportunities for digitalised retail to facilitate the sale of essential goods remain.
To connect all existing parties in the supply chain, Mr Deepankar Rustagi, after spending decades in the country, founded OmniRetail, a subsidiary of OmniBiz.
Applying a different model, the company does not own warehouses, fleets, or products but rather brings distributors and logistics providers all online. Similar to Uber’s platform, OmniRetail brings manufacturers and small retailers together – unheard of in Nigeria, where only 30 per cent of goods are sold directly to consumers.
OmniBiz is an African B2B e-commerce platform for informal retailers and aims to increase retailers’ profitability 4x by helping them with procurement and inventory management and providing them with working capital.
Launched in 2019 as Mplify- a simple SaaS solution for FMCG distributors to manage their inventory and grow their sales, OmniBiz, the e-commerce arm was launched a few months after with the mission to digitize retail distribution in Africa.
One of the many declarations made to Business Post by the company is that it carries out a total transaction volume (TTV) of $1.3 billion yearly.
Mr Rustagi saw major retail companies like Walmart and Shoprite exit the African market and quickly learned that 90 per cent of Nigerian consumers shop at small informal retail stores.
He said, “Technology is solving deeply entrenched problems, and informal retail isn’t an exception. By embracing a technology-driven approach, OmniBiz is digitizing the informal essential goods ecosystem in Africa.
“OmniBiz collaborates with the supply chain stakeholders, from manufacturers to distributors, logistics providers, and retailers. We are building the future of African retail,” he told Business Post.
The OmniBiz CEO realized that if he could bring manufacturers, distributors, and retailers online on a single platform, he could double the size of Nigeria’s $41.7 billion FMCG sector.
The platform, which has over 131,000 Nigerian retailers (75 per cent of which are women-owned), gives rich data to all parties, something he claims that no one in African retail had before.
His opinion was echoed by Mr Adewale Adisa, the company’s Chief Operations Officer (COO), who noted in an interview that the company tapped into something that large retailers didn’t understand.
“We believe that if we can create a positive impact at the national level, it will eliminate many of the challenges faced by retailers. It will help rid Nigeria’s cash-heavy sector of the many problems associated with it and digitise the process.”
He explained that the company’s warehouses help make it deliver to key states in the country, adding that it has a logistics network that it hopes to expand by bringing in more retailers, partners, and players in the future.
Through the integration of its OmniStore (formerly Mystore) app, OmniBiz is able to facilitate the transactions between producers and retailers, a move to which it is adding the necessary value, including seeing how they can insure their goods. The growth engine application provides retailers with end- to- end inventory management solutions.
The company has always positioned itself as a market leader, last year, it moved to tap into the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) wave to help businesses get credit options in a timely fashion to grow their businesses.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Residents of Egbin, Ijede, and Ipakan in Lagos State recently trooped out for the 7th Annual Medical Outreach of Egbin Power.
The three-day medical outreach was organised in partnership with a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) known as Livewell Initiative in line with the power-generating company’s commitment to ensuring healthy lives and well-being of its host communities.
This programme also aligns with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) – Good Health and Well-being.
The outreach attracted over three thousand people, including children, adults and nursing mothers, who enjoyed cardiovascular, arthritis, dental, eye-check, diabetes tests, malaria treatment, hepatitis screening, and blood pressure examination.
It was gathered that eyeglasses, dental kits, and medications were administered at no cost to the residents after careful examination by qualified medical practitioners.
“At Egbin Power, we recognise that the health and well-being of our host communities is crucial to our success. This medical outreach programme is one of the ways we demonstrate our commitment to giving back to our host communities.
“It is also in alignment with our commitment to SDG 3 and we believe that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right, and we will continue to work towards making it a reality for all,” the Head of Corporate Communications and Branding at Egbin Power, Mr Felix Ofulue, stated.
“We are proud to partner with Egbin Power on this medical outreach programme. Together, we are making a positive difference in the lives of the people in these communities,” the Managing Director of Livewell Initiative, Dr Bisi Bright, said.
Also speaking at the event, the Aro of Egbin Kingdom, Mr Olayemi Olukunga, said, “We are grateful to Egbin Power for their kindness and generosity. This medical outreach programme has become an annual tradition that we look forward to, and we appreciate the positive impact it has on our community.”
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Wasilat Ogundipe, thanked Egbin Power for the gesture, saying, “It affords us timely access to free medical examinations, enabling our children, parents and vulnerable community members to address their health concerns.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
International Workplace Group (IWG), the world’s largest provider of hybrid working solutions with notable brands like Spaces and Regus, is opening two state-of-the-art flexible workspaces in Lagos to meet the rising demand.
The addition of IWG’s latest locations, HQ Lagos Lekki Link Bridge and Regus Lagos Mansard Place, followed the business posting its highest-ever revenue, cashflow and earnings growth in its history and achieving rapid network growth, signing 465 new locations in the first half of 2024 alone.
According to the company, the adoption of hybrid working rapidly is accelerating across Nigeria and these new locations in Lagos are part of the drive by IWG to meet the sharply rising demand for top-class flexible working space in the area.
Its unique offering will enable local people to experience living in a “15-minute” city, allowing workers to work close to their homes without commuting far from where they live.
The HQ workspace is set to open in Lekki in March 2025 and will It will be located on the 2nd and 3rd floor while the Regus location at Mansard Place (situated at Plot 928, Bishop Aboyade Cole Street, Victoria Island) will be on the 3rd floor of the six storey building and will open in February 2025.
The buildings will provide space for established firms and start-ups across a range of industries, while IWG’s Design Your Own Office service allows companies to tailor their space entirely to their requirements. The new locations will include facilities including private offices, meeting rooms, co-working and creative spaces.
With explosive market growth as companies of all sizes adopt hybrid working for the long-term, it is predicted that 30 per cent of all commercial real estate will be flexible workspace by 2030 and IWG believes that partners will be able to capitalise on this fast-growing sector,
The potential for further growth is exponential with an estimated 1.2 billion white collar workers globally and a total addressable market of more than £1.57 trillion. Conventional office occupancy will continue to fall as businesses require less traditional space and turn to flexible workspace instead.
Last year alone, IWG welcomed over 800 new partner locations and counts 83 per cent of Fortune 500 companies among its customer base.
Speaking on this, Mr Mark Dixon, CEO & Founder of International Workplace Group Plc, commented: “We are establishing a stronger and much-needed footprint in Nigeria with this these latest openings.
“As an important business hub Lagos is a fantastic place for us to boost our expansion plans. The need for high-quality flexible workspaces continues to soar as hybrid working becomes the new normal.
“We are very pleased to work in partnership with Sterling Bank and APD Mansard Place to develop the brand under a management agreement that will add a cutting-edge workspaces to their the buildings.
“Our openings in Lagos comes at a time when more and more companies are discovering that flexible working boosts employee happiness and satisfaction, while helping the environment. Our workplace model is also proven to increase productivity and allows for a business to scale up or down at significantly reduced costs.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Another award has been added to the shelves of Airtel Nigeria for the quality service it offers its numerous subscribers.
At the 14th Nigerian NewsDirect Awards held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel on Friday, December 6, 2024, the company went home with the Most Preferred and Admired Telecommunications Brand award.
The chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, thanked the news platform for the recognition, reiterating the dedication of the organisation towards the growth of Nigeria.
“At Airtel, we remain steadfast in our mission to enrich lives and contribute to the sustainable growth of our nation, and we are proud to receive this award as the Most Preferred and Admired Telecommunications Brand.
“This recognition reaffirms our commitment to connecting Nigerians, driving digital inclusion, and empowering communities through innovative solutions,” he said.
The ceremony, themed Achieving Economic Prosperity: The Role of Human Capacity Development, Fiscal Prudence, and Revenue Generation, celebrated outstanding contributions made by individuals and corporate organisations to national development across sectors and industries.
The chairman of Odu’a Investment Limited, Mr Bimbo Ashiru, thanked all participating entities for their “continuous contributions and support to the nation’s growth.”
“You have demonstrated excellence and have significantly contributed to Nigeria’s progress and we believe this platform will continue to highlight and encourage best practices across industries,” he stated.
The event attracted several persons, including the chairman of the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Mr Ayodele Subair; and the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji; among others.
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