Young and vibrant Kelly Izuwa Nwogu, the Managing Director/CEO of Livelihood Homes is passionate about contributing his quota to real estate development and Nation building. In the last five years the serial entrepreneur took the real estate industry by storm developing over twenty three estates called Blue Sea Estates spread across the country. The passion to help low income earners own properties prompted the establishment of the firm. The Founder of Kelly Izuwa Nwogu (KIN) Vanguard, who recently pledged to donate N30m hospital to meet the health needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Agatu spoke on the Focus of a CEO in this interview with Nnamdi Nwokolo.
What influenced your choice of business?
The story of my life and venture into real estate development is marvelous as it is miraculous. I came from what I’ll describe as ‘no background’. As the only son of my physically challenged mother, I was determined to succeed and I kept telling my mum that with me, she doesn’t need another son. Interestingly, as a young man, I was very brave and shrewd in my decisions. Upon graduating from high school, I did so many odd jobs to survive. It got so bad that I had to stow away aboard a Russian bound ship. Upon my return from Russia, I joined Great Commission of Nigeria as a volunteer.
The organisation trained me on how to conduct and facilitate seminars and workshops which has helped me up till date. I left the commission at a point to fulfill my long time desire of acquiring a degree. I did so many jobs to sustain my education and just last year, I graduated with honours in Business Administration from the prestigious University of Lagos. My entry into real estate development was facilitated by my landlady at the time and the choice was borne out of my desire to help people of my class (no background) to become landlords.
What has been the most challenging experience of running the organization?
Most people will tell you that the most challenging experience is getting funding to execute estate project development plans. In as much as real estate is a capital intensive industry, I started the company in every sense as a small business. In fact, the first ten acres of land we acquired for development was done without paying a dime.
We are the only company that sells a plot of land at #100,000.00 in the whole of the country. I do things as if I’m the only one doing it as I don’t care what other people are doing. What people perceive as challenges is actually what I see as an opportunity to get to the next level. It will interest you to know that my very first clients paid money without seeing the land. People around me know that I am a man of great integrity and it has helped us to build this organisation to the enviable position it occupies in the industry.
What prompted your recent pledge to donate a thirty million Naira hospital to Agatu?
I always want to identify and do things that please God. My rise to the position I am today from a ‘no background’ can only be attributed to God’s divine miracle. However, the project was informed by my concern over the deplorable health condition of the displaced persons, and also a gesture of charity.
At the foundation laying ceremony of the hospital on May 27th 2016, I explained that the hospital would be built in memory of those that lost their lives in the carnage while noting that many of the IDPs were suffering from varied ailments that needed urgent medical attention. We are also currently facilitating an all expense paid trip for seven blind people to the USA for a programme. Beyond that my organisation through the Kelly Izuwa Nwogu (KIN) Vanguard has been engaged in charitable ventures as a way of giving back to the society.
The industry is significantly influenced by the state of the economy, with a benefit of hindsight, what is your assessment of the industry?
There’s still a lot to be done. Most developers today are focused on the high end of the market which even though is very profitable is becoming overcrowded and limited in market size. The real market is in the middle and low income sector and even in the social housing sector. The future of real estate in this country belongs to the company or companies who can accurately figure out a profitable business model to take advantage of the low to middle income housing sectors in Nigeria. That is what we are poised to do in our Blue Sea Estates across the country. Our ultimate goal is to push and disrupt this market positively in such a manner that as long as you have a job or a business that pays you steady income that’s verifiable, you can become a home owner.
Projections for the organisation:
With the level of our growth, we intend to be at the centre of real estate development in Nigeria. We are barely five years in the industry and we have over twenty three Blue Sea estates scattered all over the country and beyond. The unique selling point of our organisation is our payment plan which is the cheapest in the country and our ability to deliver on our promises. With our strategic growth plan, we are the organisation to watch out for in the next couple of years.
What role can government play to ameliorate the housing challenge?
One of the fundamental basic human needs is shelter. It is however ironic that Nigeria with a population of about 170 million people is currently facing a national housing deficit of about 17 million units. The World Bank estimates that to bridge Nigeria’s housing gap will require N60 trillion. I believe that the government needs to realign itself towards promoting a policy of housing for all Nigerians with a feasible timeline as its goal. This objective would require the development of relevant policies for development of quality mass housing schemes all over the country. If well-structured and executed, it will usher in a new era of unlimited flow of resources that will move the economy into prosperity as it will create jobs, wealth and better life for all.
From your experience, what are the critical factors for business success?
There’s no organisation that is perfect but when people know you as a trust worthy person, they’ll learn to endure with you when you are going through some challenges. To build a sustainable business, you have to be patient, focused and innovative. I would say that there are many factors that will combine to guarantee business success including integrity, diligence, focus and perseverance. With the benefit of hindsight, don’t try to copy anybody; be yourself. Integrity and excellent service delivery are critical to business success. Passion is equally critical to building a sustainable business. You cannot build a business around what you don’t have passion for. As the entrepreneur, your passion is what is needed to drive the business. With passion, you’ll constantly look for ways to improve the quality of service of your business.
You’ve achieved a lot at a relatively young age, what does success mean to you?
The true definition of success isn’t perceived as how much money you have in your bank account, but more as how many people you helped in your lifetime. No one’s eulogy will include how many cars they had or how big their homes were. You will be remembered based on your generosity, your kindness, the amount of people you helped in time of need. This is how you want people to remember you and share your life journey as an example to others. Success to me is not having too much money but the fulfillment of one’s purpose on earth. It has nothing to do with neither the wealth you have nor the number of houses you own, but on the number of lives you have touched positively.
Advice for young Nigerians:
Be diligent, work hard and be honest. Live within your means and cultivate a saving culture. The most common challenge the youths have today is the choices they make. To be a success or a failure depends solely on your mindset, so I advise the youths to have a change of mindset. For example, what do you see in the crisis in the tomato industry? While some people will see a challenge others might see a viable business opportunity, so everything has to do with your mindset.
