20 & Timeless: How Black Pelican Group is redefining Nigeria’s interior design industry

For two decades, Black Pelican Group has been at the forefront of Nigeria’s interior design industry, consistently delivering high-quality solutions that have transformed homes, offices, and communities. With a mission to provide exceptional interior design services, the company has evolved from a bathroom fittings provider to a total interior solutions provider, offering a wide range of products and services that cater to diverse customer needs. As the company celebrates its 20th anniversary, it is evident that Black Pelican Group’s impact on the industry has been timeless.

Black Pelican Group’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and customer satisfaction has earned it a reputation as a market leader in the industry. With a team of experienced professionals, state-of-the-art showrooms, and the control of its entire service value chain by offering other support services through its fully established subsidiaries; the company has set the standard for interior design services in Nigeria. Its ability to adapt to changing market trends and customer needs has been key to its success.

From humble beginnings as a bathroom fittings provider, Black Pelican Group has diversified its product and service offerings, giving birth to five notable subsidiaries: IL Bagno, Bathrooms Direct, BPLogistix, Bagno Technik, and BPL Wellness. IL Bagno specializes in the sales and distribution of high-end interior finishes and exclusively represents the leading manufacturing companies in Europe. Bathrooms Direct is the business unit of BPL, distributing low-priced but high-quality sanitary wares, kitchen, tiles and doors targeted at meeting the demands of middle-income earners. Bagno Technik is the installation and maintenance arm of the business with a team of trained engineers and installers. BPL Logistix, the logistics arm of the business is responsible for pickup in over 100 countries to quality packaging & freight to customers clearance at the border to delivery at client’s door.

Black Pelican Group has also made a significant impact in the wellness industry through BPL Wellness, its final piece in the hospitality and wellness business, representing the number one wellness company in the world “Technogym” as the sole distributor in Nigeria. The collaboration has enabled the company to deliver top-notch fitness centres and wellness spaces, catering to the growing demand for healthy living and wellness in the country. The company’s commitment to providing total interior solutions has made it a one-stop-shop for customers seeking to transform their spaces.

Black Pelican Group has consistently been at the forefront of innovation and reference point in the interior design trade. With a long list of first; First to open a purpose built and well-appointed showroom of international standards, Ebenezer House in Lekki, first to position the interior design trade as a properly structured business and remain the largest in the interior design trade in Nigeria; The first to open a ‘Design Centre’ in Abuja, about 6,000SQM building which is the largest Interior Design Showroom in Nigeria; The first company to set up and maintain a permanent installation and after sales team in the sanitary ware business; The first to annually take teams of Nigerian consultants to Europe for Continuous Learning programs; The first to start Continuous Learning and Certification programs for various trades in Nigeria; The first to organise Lighting Design Seminar for MEP consultants in Nigeria, demonstrating commitment to knowledge sharing and industry development. These trailblazing achievements have cemented the Black Pelican Group position as a leader and trendsetter in the interior design industry.

Beyond product offerings, Black Pelican Group has made significant social impact through its corporate social responsibility initiatives. In partnership with organizations such as the Nigerian Red Cross Society and Water Aid Foundation, the company has donated toilets and sanitary wares to numerous schools and organizations. Recently, Black Pelican Group refurbished the bathroom facilities of two NGOs, one in Lagos and one in Abuja; The Centre for Health Systems Support and Initiative for Development (CHESIDS) in Abuja and The Children’s Library Ajegunle in Lagos.

Its commitment to delivering exceptional quality products is unwavering, driven by passion for excellence. The company prioritises this excellence through strategic partnerships with international brands, sponsorship of industry conferences, and investments in training programs. Over the past three years, Bagno Technik and Bathrooms Direct, have organized the Plumber’s Conference in Lagos and Abuja, empowering local plumbers with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the plumbing industry.

“Our success is due to our people, our commitment to excellence, and our ability to adapt to changing market trends,” says Michael Owolabi, CEO of Black Pelican Group. “We are excited about the future and look forward to continuing to transform spaces and lives.”

As the company looks to the future, it is apparent that Black Pelican Group’s effect on Nigeria’s interior design scene will be continually timeless. With plans to expand its operations and introduce new products and services, the company is poised to remain a market leader in the industry.