OLAMIDE BALOGUN is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Afroplux International. He is into Agriculture and talks to ISAAC NGUMAH on the sector, among other issues. Excerpt:
How many years have you been in the industry?
13 years now; we started in April 2011
What makes your business a leader in agric business?
Well, we have gathered quite a number of years of experience; we have a large number of customers and a few staff working with us and we a leader in the business.
Can you tell us about your ancilary services?
These are services that have their own functions on what we do in agric business.
What and what do you deal on in agric business?
Crops and livestock generally
Can you tell us about your agro-allied food processing and contract and confectioneries?
These are the branches but personally, I am an agricpreneur a business man and a consultant.
Can you tell us about your conglomerate driving innovation and innovation across Africa?
Well, our businesses are five, we are into Agricbusiness, we are into confectioneries; we are into GNLD which is neolife international. We are into energy and also consultancy. When we started, it was just farming business; along the line as we grew, we went into energy; we went into GNLD; we also do consulting to other people and then we started Kaduna State and we grew into other states. We started in Kaduna but right now, we are in Abuja, Taraba and Lagos and other African countries and we are moving into other parts of the world.
How do you touch lives on daily basis?
We are interested in meeting the food needs of our customers.
Tell us about your community organization
We partner with other profit-making organizations not only in private sector because we are an organization, called Nigerian private sector alliance and through that organization, we are able to work with other community members providing their food needs.
Tell us the base of your business
Kaduna State
What drives you in the industry?
Seeing that we become a household
What made you to go into agric buisiness?
Passion for meeting the food needs and touching lives.
What is your focus in the industry?
To become global and really achieve our mission and vision
Tell us your challenges in the industry
Generally is when we approach a financial institute. Generally, the government for one or two things should structure something.
What do you do as a consultant?
I am able to work with others to mentor and also be mentored.
How have been able to help people to start their own agric business?
Yes, I have taught quite a number of people in my own little way
Can you talk on other bussinesses?
These ones that we have our hands right now, the agric business , the neolife, the energy business, the consulting and confectioneries.
Can you talk on the energy business?
We have companes in Lagos which we partner with. They are called solar scientists; they do a lot of battery importation, solar importation, etc. So, we are working hand in hand with them.
Tell us about the confectioneries that you are into
Providing eateries, food and all that
Tell us about the competitions in the industry
Competitions drive progress and so on; we are able to work as a unit, we are able to drive innovation and progress.
What are your experiences in the industry?
A lot of challenges but we are facing it and we are moving forward.
Tell us your prospect in the industry
Nothing good comes easy and so, as we are advancing day by day, we are cutting cost; we are leveraging on so many areas where we know we have our comparative advantage.
Tell us about your expansion in the industry
Expansion is a long-term projection.
Can you talk about your capacity building?
We are still growing right now, we are in a global stage; we have left the initial stage; we have grown into another phase right now called the outstanding agricultural technology. So, we are growing.
Tell us about your new innovation ideas
We are working with our team and we are moving and looking forward into so many areas.
How did you raise capital in starting your business?
I raised capital from the money given to me during my NYSC and from friends and family members.
What can you say about the plan of the Federal Government to enhance food security in Nigeria?
Government should address the issues of farmers’ herders’ clash and other vital issues.
As a farm consultant, how many farms have you been able to manage so far?
I have worked with individuals with food and agricultural organizations I have worked with Leventis Foundation and etc.
What were your experiences while managing those farms?
We faced a lot of challenges and we summounted them administrative wise and so many areas that need to be addressed.
For a better society
