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How DAVID OJEI Started From A Small Shop
If you live in Lagos or Abuja, you’ve probably done shopping at EBEANO Supermarket.. The clean aisles, imported goods, and “everything under one roof” appeal.
This is the grass to grace story of a Lagos-based businessman, David Ojei, who started with almost nothing but ended up becoming one of Nigeria’s biggest entrepreneurs. Ojei took no foreign loan. Just a dream, stubbornness, and a deep understanding of what Nigerian families needed.
Friends from that time describe him as: quiet, hardworking, and obsessed with customer service. “If a customer complained, David would be the one to go and apologize personally,” one former colleague said.
At a time, shopping in Lagos was mainly at foreign owned shopping malls. David saw the gap, Nigerians abroad enjoy clean, air-conditioned supermarkets. Why can’t we have that here. This is the true story of how Ojei grew the business from just a small shop selling groceries to the chain of supermarkets that it is now.
David, unable to secure a job in any bank after years of searching following his graduation from the university, decided to seek other paths to his success. The Agbor, Delta- born 55-year-old got his business acumen from his mother who was a Tomato and Rice seller. Given his early interactions with business by helping out as a child in the markets, he became very good and fast with calculations.
Ojei studied Accountancy at the University of Nigeria and graduated in 1995 with a Second-Class Upper grade.
Despite writing Aptitude tests with Zenith Bank, GTB and FBN Merchant Bankers, he failed all the tests and couldn’t secure a job .When it became clear that the banks were keeping their doors shut on him, David settled for a job with a security company. As a security man, he earned N7,000 monthly. He decided to save up N4,000 every month so that he could pool enough money to start a Barber shop.
After 6 months, he had saved enough money to open a Barbing salon at Powerline in Ejigbo area of Lagos.
David worked a total of 18 months at the security company before he reportedly resigned. At that point, the barbing business had stabilised enough to give him sufficient income, and he thought he could now try out his hands in other businesses.
First he started by buying Garri and Ogbono seed from Edo State and supplying it in Lagos but that business soon it a dead end when he lost a substantial amount to his suppliers. He quickly changed course. David later went to spend a three-month apprenticeship with an uncle called Sunday Egede, who owned DePrince Supermarkets. It was a very brief apprenticeship, and after learning as much as he could within the three months, he started EBEANO Supermarket in 1999, with the first outlet at Shomolu, Lagos State. The retail business grew really fast for him, and he soon opened another outlet at Gbagada, and yet another at Ikota in Lekki.
After almost a decade in the retail business, David was now ready for the big deal as he went into a 50-50 partnership with his uncle and mentor. This partnership brought Egede’s DePrince Supermarkets and Ojei’s EBEANO Supermarkets under one umbrella. And so, in 2009, Prince EBEANO Supermarket was birthed. As one might expect from a partnership of two strong businessmen, Prince EBEANO Supermarkets became a success overnight.
With the slogan, ‘The Preferred One Stop Retail Store’. The store has many unique selling points.The name, “EBEANO” is Igbo. It means “Where are you?”— as in, Where are you, come and shop with us. It is catchy, friendly, and Nigerian.
The early struggles for Ojei were real, no trust because people thought “supermarket” meant expensive.
Getting consistent stock from manufacturers was also hard but David’s edge was service. He trained his staff to smile, to pack bags, to arrange shelves like abroad. Customers who came once came back with their friends.
What made EBEANO blow was that David stocked foreign items that Nigerians in the UK/US asked their families to buy. Jollof rice mix, imported cereals, skin care etc. It was no longer that small shop in Shomolu. But he also stocked fresh yam, and stockfish. He merged both worlds.Instead of rushing, he opened branch by branch. Each new branch was bigger and cleaner than the last. Trolleys, AC, parking, and courteous staff complemented. For many middle-class families, EBEANO became the weekend shopping destination. He also started sourcing directly with Nigerian manufacturers. This helped keep prices down and supported local businesses.
By 2015, EBEANO was being called Nigeria’s answer to Shoprite but 100% Nigerian owned, big thanks to his vision of bringing over his Uncle and mentor, Egede as partner.Big foreign and local chains came in but EBEANO’s advantage was that it felt Nigerian.
Through it all, David stayed behind the scenes. He’s not a loud CEO. No big social media noise. People say he still visits branches unannounced to check if floors are clean. Today, EBEANO Supermarket has multiple branches across Lagos and Abuja and employs thousands of Nigerians directly. In Lagos alone, there are 4 outlets -Chevron Drive,Oniru ,Lekki Phase 1 and Ikeja while Abuja houses 2 Outlets.
Ojei is currently regarded as one of Nigeria’s foremost retail entrepreneurs. Those who have studied his business style say he didn’t copy Shoprite, rather he built for Nigerians while also reinvesting profits instead of borrowing heavily.
He promoted local products while still giving people access to global brands. David Ojei’s story is important because he proved that retail in Nigeria can be built by Nigerians, for Nigerians, and still compete globally. At a time when many big stores were foreign-owned, EBEANO continues to give Nigerians pride.
Wole Alakija
08055001823
