Africa Business Communities

Chioma Nnani: Lost Opportunities in the Abuja Market

One of the things I found mildly distressing about Abuja, is the obvious (to me) lack of certain products and services. For such a cosmopolitan place, it's almost unforgivable.

I remember going from one supermarket to the other, looking for muesli. It was not a fun (or particularly fruitful) expedition. The supermarket attendants would look at me like I had sprouted horns. They just didn't understand what I was talking about.

One of the reasons that my skin has improved so drastically is because I try to be mindful of what goes into my body. I'm not obsessive about it – I'm not about to start counting calories in every spoonful of food; are you kidding me? But I am quite aware of what goes into my mouth. Plus a qualification in Food Law means I am probably prone to obsessing about caloric content, preservatives, additives, etc. – if I allow myself to be paranoid.

I discovered muesli in my second year at university. Or did it find me? The different tastes of the various flavours on offer, as well as the knowledge of what it does for you and your body, marked the end of my relationship with many other breakfast cereals. So, finding out that muesli seemed strange in a place like Abuja, was a shock to my system. I kept going, “So, what do they eat?” It was a similar shock to discover just how little the residents of the city tend to take care of themselves.

Another stressor was trying (unsuccessfully) to get anti-odourant cream. Trust me when I say a lot of people in Abuja need it. The heat-induced perspiration, as well as the obligatory smells which win over perfumes and anti-perspirants, make anti-odourant creams absolutely necessary. Again, supermarket and pharmacy staff looked at me like I was high, when I asked for anti-odourant cream. There was just one place where the lady at the counter actually knew what I was talking about – because her boss travelled frequently to London, where he got some for personal use. Yet, they didn't have it in stock. From all indications, they had never had.

Anyone who's been to Abuja knows that it's what some call an effizy place. That's a way of saying appearances matter more than substance. Personally, I find some of it laughable. But it's very difficult to laugh at the lost business opportunities inflicted by the 'appearance over substance' mentality. When people don't realise that hydrating a bit better could mean less make-up (and believe me, in Abuja, you want to get as much air as possible); it's not funny. When managers at big supermarkets look at you like you're speaking a foreign language because you ask for something so healthy (and basic!), you have to wonder how much revenue they're losing.

I did get eventually get some muesli. One shop had a grand total of ONE kind of muesli. Hey, beggars can't be choosers – especially when they're desperate.

I had a bit of a moan about it on Facebook, and someone took pity on me and sent me some from the UK. I actually cried when I found out.

Then, a few people nearly reduced me to tears (of a different kind) when they informed me of just how much muesli Lagos had. If Lagos shops have such quantities, that means muesli is not strange. There is a demand for it. People do know about it here.

So, again, one has to wonder about the money-making opportunities being squandered by the refusal to offer certain products, or improve staff training.

Chioma Nnani is the award-winning author of FOREVER THERE FOR YOU. She holds a Law (LLB) from the University of Kent, Canterbury, was nominated for a BEFFTA in 2014, and has a Postgraduate Certificate in Food Law from the De Montfort University, Leicester. You can connect with her via facebook.com/ChiomaEstherNnani and @ChiomaNnani 

 

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