Builders Hub goes hunting for enterprises across Nigeria

…targets 1000 enterprises in 1000 communities in Nigeria.

By Ismail M. Kabir

It is a dawn of opportunities for Nigerian craftsmen and artisans as Builders Hub begins hunting for enterprises across Nigeria. The ‘Enterprise Hunt’ is expected to capture one thousand enterprises from one thousand under served communities across the country.

Builders Hub is the parent arm of the project which shall operate as an e-commerce platform for all things building, constriction and home improvement. They will list on the web store all products from existing merchants and manufacturers in the industry from Nocaco wires, Tower aluminum products to Dulux paints among similar products.

 

The project will rally investors to key into local enterprises through an impact investment drive that encourages craftsmen to leverage on the abundant raw materials in Nigeria to produce unique and certified Nigerian made products to be exhibited through the Builders Hub online store.

Barr. Natasha Akpoti

In a recent chat with EbiraView, the host of the forthcoming event, Barr. Natasha Akpoti berated the high rate of dependency on imported building materials including hinges and nails in a nation that parades some of the world’s best craftsmen amidst enormous raw materials.

“Our local communities have some of the best craftsmen in the world. Ebira people, for instance, use to be known to be amazing blacksmiths as far back as a hundred years ago. It is enough to say that why the local industries are not developed is because of electricity. This is wrong because though electricity can complement development but it does not drive it otherwise our blacksmith would not have been as productive as they were 50 to 100 years ago”.

“We are going to all the underserved communities to find the best craftsmen who can do amazing things with woods and any type of metal. We are going to hunt for goods that are worthy to trade on the Builders Hub and flood the market with the products”, Natasha said.

The pilot program is the orientation phase that will kick off tomorrow, Saturday 27^th June 2015 at the Azad palace of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, G.R.A Okene Kogi State.

The orientation, according to Natasha will be used to motivate the craftsmen and showing them the best practices for improved productivity.

“We are going to gather the people, speak to them and show them what is possible and give them a timeline when we will be coming with the panel of judges for the selection process when they will show us what they have done”.

Natasha said her decision to have the inaugural event on Ebira soil for was for a number of reasons one of which is due to her origin from the area and because the Ebira people are known to be great blacksmiths, cloth weavers, carpenters builders and more.

After the kickoff, the Enterprise Hunt team will scout the nook and cranny of Nigeria communities for the finest craftsmen and have them empowered enough to manufacture, within their little capacities, and sell their products to the world.

Barr. Natasha noted that it was baffling to see that we have blacksmith capable of making guns, yet we import hinges, hammers, shovels and others from China at the expense of the local industry.

She added that the impact investment programme is a grass root resource support for craftsman / craftswomen who would be encouraged to have their products listed on the Builders Hub e-Store for the global market.

“We would start with a few selected, ensure their products are duly certified by the relevant standardization bodies and then paired with investors.  As our project grows, so also would out empowering capacity.

“We shall have dedicated contact centers for easy reach out to our team because those who are financially capable to produce / manufacture don't have to wait for the selection process. They can submit samples straight for certification and listing on the website”.

Builders’ Hub is currently rallying support from potential investor for collaborations as the team appeal to communities to embrace the initiative as they arrive their respective locations in the course of the enterprise hunt.