An indigenous firm, Black Pelican Group, operating in the multi-billion naira interior decoration industry, says it will begin the production of local interior products in Nigeria.
The company said the investment would not only provide jobs for Nigerians but save foreign exchange for the country.
Michael Owolabi, chief executive officer of the group, who spoke with journalists in Abuja recently, said the group has acquired land in Ogun State to produce quality products as part of its strategic plans to remain at the forefront of Nigeria’s interior design industry and deliver high-quality solutions that have helped to transform homes, offices, and communities. The company is targeting the next five years for the production.
“We represent the top 80 brands around the world, such as Technogym, one of the world’s largest suppliers of Olympic equipment and quality for us is a minimum standard, it is not something we have a choice about”, he said.
He, however, noted that access to capital, poor power supply and availability of skilled manpower, remain a major challenge in the interior decoration sector of the economy.
“As you know, we will need a 24-hour power supply arrangement; we will train manpower to provide the necessary skills. Once you start, your furnace must be on 24 hours and seven days in a week, non-stop. But we have set a five-year target for ourselves and we are working around that”.
He noted that the company’s mission was to provide exceptional interior design services, having 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.
The CEO said 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.
Owolabi hinged the company’s success on the ability to adapt to changing market trends and customer needs.