The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Newest Commercial Industries Limited, Hon. Deji Afolabi, has explained the reasons behind the company’s renewed push into the Nigerian market, saying the decision followed extensive restructuring, research, and quality upgrades across its product lines.
Speaking during a press conference with journalists, Afolabi said the company decided to reopen its operations to strengthen its presence in the market and deliver better products to consumers, distributors, and end users nationwide.
Below are excerpts from the interaction:
Can you tell us the essence of today’s press conference?
Thank you very much for the question. We need to have journalists present because in every industry, the media plays a crucial role in connecting businesses to the market space. When we think about ourselves as a company, we must also think about how to reach the market. And one of the strongest ways to reach the market is through the media.
Without the press, it would be difficult for us to penetrate the market effectively. That is why journalists are very important to our programmes and our agenda. Through you, we can communicate with distributors, buyers, and end users, especially those who are far away from us. Even though we still engage the market physically, the media remains a major channel through which people can hear about us and understand what we offer. That is why we invited you here today.
Can you take us through some of the products you are showcasing and why you upgraded their quality?
One of our major products is Newest Colour Paints. From the beginning, we have been producing industrial paints designed to meet high market standards.
Painters themselves play a major role in advising buyers on which products to purchase, because they are the ones who apply the paint on buildings and structures. They understand quality.
Newest Paints has been in the market since 2013, but this time we have upgraded the product significantly. Our goal is to produce paints that are superior to what we previously offered.
Paint production involves chemicals, and we have now moved away from relying on certain local chemicals. Instead, we source high-quality international chemicals, including materials from Indian and German suppliers, as well as acrylic-based compounds widely recognised in the global market.
To protect quality, we purchase our raw materials in sealed bulk rather than smaller quantities, because dilution can sometimes occur when chemicals are handled improperly in retail quantities.
With this approach, the quality of our paints has improved tremendously, and we are confident that once customers use Newest Colour Paints, they will continue to ask for more.
What makes your detergent unique, considering the many brands already in the market?
Our detergent product is the result of extensive research and development. We invested significant time and resources studying the market and testing the product to ensure it meets the needs of consumers.
We conducted trials with several laundry services and gave them samples to test. Their feedback confirmed the effectiveness of the product. The detergent performs well on different types of stains and fabrics, and it competes favourably with other products already available in the marketplace.
Another important factor is affordability. While we maintain high quality, we ensure that our pricing remains competitive and accessible to the average consumer.
In fact, we believe the quality of our detergent is even higher than the price we are offering it for. Our goal is to build trust and acceptance in the market first.
How are you supporting distributors and retailers who will sell your products?
Distributors are extremely important to us because they serve as the bridge between our company and the end users.
We have created incentive programmes for those who purchase in bulk. For example, a distributor buying multiple cartons may receive additional cartons as part of our promotional strategy.
We are also preparing marketing support materials and souvenirs that will accompany the products. The aim is to help distributors maximise their profits while also strengthening their relationship with the brand.
We want them to grow with us.
Are the products available nationwide or only within Lagos for now?
Our vision goes beyond Lagos. Our products are designed for the entire Nigerian market.
We intend to penetrate all 36 states of Nigeria, including both urban and rural communities. In fact, rural areas are part of our key targets because many consumers there also deserve access to quality products at affordable prices.
To achieve this, we plan to organise a dedicated programme for distributors across the country, where they will receive training and guidance on how to effectively distribute our products nationwide.
We are also prepared to absorb some of the logistical challenges associated with transportation in order to ensure our products reach consumers across the country.
Were there any challenges that influenced your decision to restructure?
Yes, we experienced some challenges in the past, particularly with raw materials.
At one point around 2018, we purchased a chemical used in paint production known as acrylic PVA. Although it looked identical to the genuine product, it turned out to be inferior.
After production, we discovered that the quality was not what we expected. Rather than release substandard products to the market and damage our reputation, we decided to dispose of the entire batch, which resulted in significant financial loss.
That experience taught us an important lesson about quality control and vigilance in sourcing raw materials.
Since then, we have strengthened our quality inspection processes and now ensure that all raw materials meet strict standards before production begins.
How important is quality control in your production process?
Quality control is extremely important. Distributors and professionals in the industry can easily detect inferior products. Many of them have years of experience and will reject any product that does not meet their expectations.
For instance, we have a distributor in Ilaro who has so much experience that she can examine paint simply by touching it and determine whether the quality is acceptable.
Because of people like that in the market, we must remain very careful about what we produce.
We were also pleased that when our paint products were taken to the laboratory of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the results confirmed that they met the expected quality standards.
That validation gave us great confidence in the improvements we have made.
With upgraded products, renewed strategy, and expanded distribution plans, Hon. Afolabi says Newest Group is determined to re-enter the Nigerian market stronger than ever — delivering quality products while building long-term relationships with distributors and consumers across the country.
