Rite Foods boosts consumers’ confidence in locally made products

Nigerian foods and beverages manufacturing company, Rite Foods Limited, has restored confidence of Nigerians in locally made goods with its range of products, which are healthier and preferred over imported ones.

Company’s Managing Director, Seleem Adegunwa, said while taking journalists round the factory recently that the challenge of creating successful Nigerian products lies in convincing the citizenry to pick locally made items over imported goods.

He said: “If anything, being a Nigerian-owned brand initially would almost become a negative, because people think that what is produced locally just can’t be as good. But what we’ve been able to do in the last 28 months is to show that, actually, you can be a proud Nigerian brand.”

In a bid to diversify the economy following the 2016 recession, Nigeria seeks to boost its manufacturing capabilities, but manufacturing in the country comes with a host of challenges as well, with Adegunwa noting, “Everything is a challenge. You have to produce the power (to run the plant) yourself, because you’re not on the grid. And then there’s gaining access to markets.”

Nigeria is home to 200 million people, and its consumer market is estimated to be worth $150 billion, which means there’s a lot of potential for growth, although there is stiff competition from international brands, both from within the continent and overseas.