In the highly competitive baking business in Nigeria, it is difficult to stand out from the crowd. But this is certainly not the case with Oluwabukola Bosede Ajayi, founder of Naija Baker, a digital platform that showcases and promotes specially-talented bakers.
Bukola has been a baker, caterer and event planner for over 12 years. She has carved a niche for herself in Nigeria’s baking and confectionary industry.
She was inspired by her mother and her love for baking, event planning and entrepreneurship. Bukola, who has been an entrepreneur since 2008, established Naija Baker in 2018 as an online vehicle to help showcase Nigerian bakers.
Apart from that, Bukola set up the platform to provide free online and offline training to bakers in an attempt to equip them with essential skills for a successful baking and confectionary business.
“Whether we like it or not, social media is the new market,” she says.
“If bakers, especially the young ones, are not given a platform to showcase what they can do and what they have to offer, how then do we build a sustainable economy in Africa?” the young entrepreneur asks.
The University of Abuja graduate says she had to take up courses in baking, event planning and blogging to broaden her skills before venturing into the business.
She tells Start-up Digest that she started her business small and has continued to grow since then. She is doing a good job promoting lots of bakers, she alludes.
“The business has grown tremendously since starting as over 1,000 bakers have been impacted through our platform and we have been able to organise tour for bakers in major cities in the country,” the young baker says.
She says Naija Baker has remained in business owing to the impact it is making on other businesses.
According to her, the firm organises periodic exhibitions for bakers to display their talents as well as network and collaborate.
“The list of talented bakers is on our platform where individuals can select and contact any baker of their choice for business,” she explains.
She has a programme called ‘Naija Bakers Cake Exhibition and Hall of Fame Awards’— an offline platform for bakers to display and showcase their talents.
Speaking on her business expansion plans, the young entrepreneur says she plans to become a force to reckon with in the Nigerian baking and confectionary industry in the long run.
Also, she plans to give out ovens and mixers to at least 500 bakers during the periodic cake exhibition programme.
In the short run, she plans to get more influencing deals and sponsor bakers for short courses abroad.
Speaking on the major hurdles limiting her business, she says lack of inadequate finance remains a major issue.
She identifies price fluctuation and clients trust as challenges facing the business.
Bukola urges the Federal Government to give grants to talented bakers as a way of supporting the multi-billion naira industry.
She calls on the government to reduce tariffs on baking equipment brought into the country, adding that government at all levels should provide vital infrastructures to aid business growth and development.
“There is a wide gap between the government and the baking industry in terms of policies,” she explains.
“Import tariffs on baking equipment and products are high, and government levies taxes without considering the effects on baking items,” Bukola states.
“When the government organises empowerment programms and decides to support with equipment, and decides to give equipment to skill acquisition industries, you will see lots of hairdryers, motorcycles, sewing machines, but we rarely see oven, mixers and other baking equipment,” she laments.
She says that most entrepreneurs are not mentally and academically prepared before venturing into a business, which is the main reason why start-ups fail.
“Most people think entrepreneurship is a walk in the park. They are not mentally and academically prepared for the challenges ahead,” she notes.
“They think once they birth their ideas, they ideas become automatic,” she says.
On her advice to other young entrepreneurs, Bukola says, “Go for it. You are definitely on the right track, just remember it is not a magical world filled with wishes and wands.
”Being an entrepreneur is being African. Our forefathers owned their own lands and were farmers and fishermen. So, nothing should stop you. The future of Africa is now, so be intentional about it,” she adds.
Josephine Okojie
