Women Who Empower 2024 is a programme organised by Canon in collaboration with Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR). It is focused on empowering and developing professional women in the imaging and print industries to contribute to Nigeria’s growth. Rashad Ghani, B2C Business Unit Director of Canon Central and North Africa, in this interview with Bright Imoh, shares the company’s plans for the Nigerian and African markets in terms of talent development. He also spoke about how the company plans to empower and uplift over 10,000 youths in Africa by 2027 through transformative initiatives like the Miraisha programme. Excerpts:
As the manufacturer and distributor of a wide range of consumer and electronic products, tell us what makes your company stand out?
Canon is the pioneer in the consumer and electronic products portfolio space. Canon is a Fortune 500 company which dedicates up to 8 percent of its sales to research and development annually; earning the title of the most innovative manufacturer for over 37 years based on US patent registrations. All that we were able to achieve shows how much emphasis the company places on research and development when it comes to the products we manufacture.
When it comes to imaging and printing segment of the market, Canon is a leader because, over the years, we have always created products that satisfy the needs of customers based on feedback from them and based on market intelligence. This we have achieved because of how close the brand is to our customers in terms of all our deliverables.
What has the Canon brand’s journey into Africa been like?
The African continent is full of potential. In terms of our push into the continent, we have representatives and sales offices in Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Ivory Coast. We have our sales team based in-country. This is a strategic step deployed to be closer to the market and customers and through this, we have shown our intention.
Nigeria has a big potential in terms of its population. As the sixth largest populous country in the world out of which 53 percent constitute youths, this is very good and gives a lot of insight in terms of what needs to be done. We have a lot of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability initiatives aside from the business which we carry out in Nigeria.
Kindly tell us about the Canon Women Who Empower programme. How would it aid the development of talents across Nigeria?
As a brand, we believe in equality. Canon has a corporate philosophy which is living and working together for the common good. The initiative aims to empower women in the print and imaging sectors and continues to uphold its guiding philosophy of Kyosei and contribution towards greater gender equality in the workplace and leadership positions.
As you are aware, women play a very important role in the life of any nation. So, the Women Who Empower 2024 programme in Nigeria organised in collaboration with Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), is a programme that focuses on empowering and developing professional women to contribute to development and growth in Nigeria and Africa.
This collaboration exemplifies the company’s unwavering commitment to leveraging resources for the greater good and fueling the progress of our society and driving our economy forward. Through these transformative initiatives, Canon has empowered and uplifted participants in imaging and printing through workshops and mentorship opportunities.
This initiative is happening first in Nigeria which goes to show the significant role the country plays in Africa. The programme may have kicked off in Nigeria, but Canon plans to take it to other African countries. We have not yet finalised where the next destination will be, but this programme will be carried to different African countries too.
Africa is seen as a very competitive market. As a brand, what has been your experience and attitude to competition in this market space?
I see competition as a very important aspect of any brand that wants to thrive. If there is no competition, that means we are not evolving and we are not learning anything new. Healthy competition is important, and we see this competition as a very important part of any corporate growth.
These competitions definitely help us to learn and challenge ourselves so that we stay alert in terms of what needs to be done as we evolve.
In specific terms, tell us the economic impact of Canon’s Business-to-Consumer (B2C) growth efforts.
Canon has a lot of traction when it comes to business-to-consumer activations. Part of our strategic partnership centres around customers. As a brand that is closer to its customers, we like to create new activations that cater for the needs of our end users.
In alignment with our dedication to introducing innovative and technology-led imaging solutions in Nigeria, we brought R-tour to Nigeria in 2022 where we introduced for the first time in Nigeria, our revolutionary mirrorless EOS R-system which is range of cameras namely – EOS R3, EOS R5 C, EOS R7 and EOS R10.
We did our Multicam Show in Nigeria last year and it was a great opportunity to get closer to our valued customers and provide them with a hands-on experience of Canon’s promising multicamera technology. We engaged in not just product displays but also in solution-based events where relevant strategic partners were invited to experience what Canon products can do in their ecosystem.
Through these engagements, we have created a good relationship with our partners in terms of learning what the market needs and how we can work together to meet the requirements of the market.
You recently stepped into the B2C leadership role with Canon Central and North Africa. What are key areas that you want to prioritise to strengthen your identity and positioning in the consumer market?
Some of the interventions Canon is playing big in include the education sector. We have several Corporate Social Responsibility activities that we engage in.
An example of such a programme is the Miraisha programme. Miraisha programme fosters job opportunities in Africa among the youth by providing workshops for photographers, videographers, filmmakers, and print business owners.
The Miraisha programme is carried out in partnership with Non-Governmental Organisations as well as educational institutions in the various countries where we have presence. So, in the 10 years we have run this programme, we have trained and empowered more than 7,000 youths across Africa.
This programme has helped a lot of under privileged young individuals, train them to become professional photographers and through this, they earn a living. So, we have done quite a bit, and we intend to continue this initiative, we plan to train 10,000 youths by 2027.
We believe that the success of our business is linked to the betterment of societies. The managing director of Canon wherever he travels makes it a habit to visit hospitals or NGOs and support children with special needs. Through these gestures, the brand ensures that it makes some difference in the lives of such individuals.
As a brand, we are not only about business; we identify and care about the people and communities where we operate.
In your operations as a business in Nigeria, what have been some of the challenges you faced and how did the brand surmount them?
Challenges are part of the life of any business; they are not peculiar to us. Nigerian businesses are facing challenges too. But then, as a brand we must work within the framework of the country’s laws and regulations.
As a business, we try to evolve in the way we carry out our business. I don’t see the challenges stopping us. We understand the peculiarity of the market. We have our team in the country, so we understand what is happening in the market and based on that, we create our policies and see how to blend them to suit how to do business.
Nigeria has a lot of resilient set of people who are always ready to face challenges no matter the situation. In the cause of interactions with customers in Computer Village, Ikeja, I saw a very determined set of business owners who are willing to continue doing business despite the economic challenges.
This is a positive sign for us as a brand. When we see such kind of attitude, it gives Canon a lot of confidence to continue to invest in the market. Canon is very confident that the Nigerian market will grow and bounce back to become stronger than it was before.
What does the future hold for Africa and what is Canon’s commitment to Nigeria in the next five years?
The future holds great promise for Africa. The establishment of Canon Central and North Africa in 2016 is a step in the right direction because it was dedicated to Africa.
We wanted to give full justice to the continent and to grow along with the continent and in 10 years we have grown I think double folds. And we are very hopeful for another five years. It will be a very good success story for us and we have good plans. So, I would say as a brand that is customer-friendly and forward-thinking, we only have the best wishes for the African continent. We are through our various engagements ready to grow with Africa.
