Baby Product Retail: Entrepreneur Abidemi Rasheed sets out to transform parenting commerce in Nigeria

For nearly two decades, entrepreneur Abidemi Rasheed has built a reputation around one principle: Nigerian parents should never have to compromise on quality when it comes to their children.

As the founder of Babies N’ Stuffs, one of Nigeria’s growing baby retail brands, Abidemi, who is popularly called Abby, has spent years sourcing premium baby products from the United States, Europe, Dubai and other global markets, earning the trust of thousands of parents who value safety and quality over price.

Now, the entrepreneur is setting her sights on a much bigger ambition: transforming parenting commerce in Nigeria through local manufacturing.

Speaking during the unveiling of the company’s store at Riverview Estate, OPIC, Ogun State, Rasheed revealed that while over 90 per cent of the products sold by Babies N’ Stuffs are imported today, her long-term vision is to manufacture world-class baby products in Nigeria.

“One day, Babies N’ Stuffs will not just sell what other countries make. We will proudly make our own in Nigeria,” she said.

For Abby, the dream goes beyond business. It is driven by a deep passion for improving the quality of childcare across the country.

She believes government policies should better support young families by reducing or eliminating import duties on essential baby products and reviewing restrictions affecting infant care items.

According to her, babies deserve special consideration because their health and safety are non-negotiable.

She also advocates stronger child protection policies, including measures discouraging the transportation of babies on commercial motorcycles and promoting safer childcare practices.

Abby’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2006 while she was an undergraduate at the University of Lagos.

Although her mother encouraged her to venture into the fish business because of its quick returns, she remained convinced that baby retail was where she could create lasting value. That conviction would define her career.

Over the years, she has travelled extensively to international trade fairs, studying manufacturing trends, meeting suppliers and understanding how global baby brands maintain quality standards.

Those experiences, she said, have shaped her vision of building an African baby brand capable of competing globally.

Her resilience was also tested when a fire destroyed her Lagos Island outlet, forcing her to relocate operations to her warehouse in OPIC, which has since evolved into a full-scale retail destination.

Despite the setback, Abby refused to compromise on the standards that have become synonymous with Babies N’ Stuffs.

“I always tell my customers what I believe is the best quality. The final choice is theirs, but my responsibility is to ensure they have access to products I can confidently recommend for their children,” she said.

She rejects the notion that African consumers are unwilling to pay for quality, insisting that parents will always invest in products they trust to protect their children.

Looking ahead, Rasheed envisions Babies N’ Stuffs becoming a household name across Nigeria and the African continent not simply as a retailer, but as a proudly African manufacturer producing baby products that meet global standards. For the founder, the goal is no longer just to import quality. It is to build it.