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Wigs, Weave on is Everyday Business 

You can hardly walk past any female nowadays, young or old, who is not wearing one form of hairpieces or another.

Some come in attachments, some in weave on and others in wigs, and they come in various labels and brands.

Human hair wig is popular among regular users of wigs who prefer a natural look; they are made with the best quality hair that is collected to achieve the texture and colour required.

They are more versatile and can be blow-dried, permed and styled in different ways. The cuticle is left intact thus maintaining the colour.

While the attachments are normally used for African braids, weave on are sewn to the hair for a lasting effect. 

These hairpieces also come in various colours, lengths and textures, which females adorn to look more beautiful, glamorous and contemporary.

If you think only blacks wear them to look like Europeans, you would be wrong…

The waste dump is not the most likely place to find a smartly dressed corporate-looking lady. This is so because of the mountain of garbage, the very offensive odour oozing out and the occasional smoke bellowing from the belly of crust of the earth.

You are likely to see custodians of the dump and young men accompany trucks to discharge the contents of their vehicles.Add to that the irritable scavengers, who eek out a living on a daily basis from the waste dump, and the different animals and birds that see it as the best avenue to get food on a platter of gold.

But when you see a smartly dressed lady not only directing affairs on a landfill site, but climbs onto a heavy duty equipment to drive it and move level heaps of garbage, then you are sure to marvel.

This was the case of Mrs. Kemi Oni, a lawyer and environmental consultant, who mounted the giant Tana full-width twin compaction drums equipment at the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota, Lagos rece…

Guide to Profitable Investment in Pig FarmingBy Obinna Chima

Before Miss Oyinlade Adetutu graduated from the University of Ibadan in 2005, she had already made up her mind not to go into the already saturated labour market.

As a student of Agricultural Science, she had vowed to stick to her profession by investing in the sector in order to tap from the benefits that abound in it.Though she specialised in fisheries, she got to know about pig farming and became attracted to it because of the reported high profit margin derivable from it.

Pig farming, according to her, is a business that can catapult an investor from the position of an employee to that of an employer of labour with high returns on investment within a little space of time.

She explains, As an undergraduate, I had already made up my mind that I would not search for any white collar job, but would practise what I studied so that I could also become an employer of labour. So…

How to Run Private Schools Profitably

Following the high level of decadence that pervades the Nigerian educational system, discerning parents have continued to seek alternative means of preparing their wards for life challenges.

People are increasingly enrolling their children in in private schools where the standard of teaching is high and sustained.

According to the proprietor, EMCOY Favoured Montessori Nursery and Primary School, Ijaiye- Ogba, Lagos, Pastor Emmanuel Oluwafemi Oyewole, the quest for education in private schools has been on the increase following the fall in the standard of education in Nigeria since the late 1970s.

Oyewole, who has been running a nursery and primary school for over 20 years, says nursery and primary schools fall into different categories depending on the size and standard in terms of the facilities one wants.

However, the choice of any category, he said, is a function of availability of fu…

Making a Fortune From Paint Production 

There is no doubt that the beauty of a house lies in the quality of paint used for its finishing. House paints add value and beauty to both new and old buildings.

The Managing Director, Lanfo “Taiken Nigeria Limited, manufacturers of Evince Paints, Mr Babatunde Popoola, says house paints are of different types. These, according to him, includes emulsion, texture or textcote, flexcote and marble trowel paints etc.

Popoola says paints can be produced at a cottage, small, medium and large scale levels.

According to him, capital required to produce paint ranges from N200,000 to N500,000 for cottage level; N500,000 to N3m for small scale; N3m-N10m for medium scale and N10m and above for large scale level.

Popoola says one or two shops are required for cottage, half to two plots of land are required for small scale, six plots to one acre of land or more for medium and large scale level of pr…

By Udeme Ekwere

A clergy had just moved into his new duplex in Lagos with two libraries, one upstairs, and the other downstairs. He instructed his family members that should there be any fire accident, the first thing to do is to save his books, because those books made him what he is.

Although some people may consider his idea crazy, but it goes to show the value he attaches to books.Without them, people may not be able to achieve all that they should.

Because most people are busy, coupled with the bad traffic situation in urban centres, the enthusiasm to go to bookshops for needed materials is predictably low among the reading class. This, therefore, brings the need for mobile bookshops. 

The concept of mobile bookshops is quite new in Nigeria, but operators raised the hope that more people would embrace the concept in the nearest future.

According to the Managing Director, Broadmind Publishing Ventures, -a mobile boo…

Fish is adjudged to be a rich source of protein and this fact appears to provide a ready market for it.

They come in various species and also serve as a source of income for breeders and sellers.

In particular, the catfish, said to be common in big rivers and stream, usually prefers current and deep water with sand, gravel or rubble bottoms.

It also grows conveniently in lakes, reservoirs and pond.

Fish farmers have perfected the technique of breeding catfish in special ponds for easy production and distribution.

One key difference about the catfish compared to other species is that it enables the buyer to buy it live rather than being sold as frozen food.

Recently, it became more common to see women selling catfish in most markets and even by the road sides.

Having noticed the increasing demand for this breed of fish, Mr. Bobola Abayomi, the Chief Executive Officer, Bob-Agro Allied Consult, in Lagos, dec…

Fumigating Your Way to Health, Wealth 

Imagine the embarrassment that one faces when rodents or insects choose to pace around in the living room or office apartment while a guest is being hosted.

Rats, cockroaches and others belonging to that class obviously lack the courtesy to know when to stay away from public glare.

No doubt, they also love to co-habit in nice looking places if permitted, reason why some cozy, but seldom fumigated officeapartments still play host to them.

A simple opinion poll shows that a lot of people have once fallen victim of playing host to these unwanted guests.

It is, therefore, essential to adopt a deliberate and consistent measure towards keeping the unwanted tenants off.

Environmental experts add that keeping pests not only constitutes social disgrace, but also has negative health and economicimplications for people.

In the bid to provide solution to this menace, a sizeable …

Making a Fortune From Fashion Designing

Fashion, no doubt has become a big business with new craze for looking good. Most Nigerian fashion freaks now prefer locally made fabrics, which are usually made to their instructions than the imported ones.

This has expanded the fashion industry tremendously.

What then does it take to venture into this kind of business, given the present economic situation in the country?

Experts say one can start the business in a small way right from ones house. According to Mrs. Joy Darlington of Jodal Fashion, Port Harcourt, with N25,000 to N30, 000, one can start a profitable fashion business.

She says the average cost of a sewing machine ranges between N12,000 and N15,000. 

According to her, the cost of other accessories such as scissors, measuring tapes, sewing threads, machine oil, needles, are meagre. 

Any complex design can be taken to another designer who has a…

The beginning is not always easy, especially when one does not have the wherewithal to start a business. However, taking a bold step to start may just be the springboard that makes the difference and shoots an individual to limelight.

Those where the words of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sumptuous Meals Limited, Mr. Boniface Imo-Owo,

who after graduating as a food, catering and hotel management technologist at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos, had to set up his own business.

He notes that in order to make his dream real, he had to first work to gather some experience. After then, I worked with Tastee Fried Chicken, I was there for a year and three months. I later decided to resign my appointment. My MD even asked me where I was going and I told her I did not know but that I felt I should do something for myself, he said.

Starting up his own business, therefore, required deep reasoning, which translated h…

 By Daniel Ochefu

When digital photography was first introduced into the Nigerian market a few years ago, it was seen as a thing of class as the price of printing photographs digitally was higher relative to the more popular mode. But those in the business say it is one of the most lucrative businesses today, as it has become the rave of the moment and relatively easy to start. In the view of those who are currently deploying the digital technology in photography, many people are now embracing it.

There are reports that producers of photography films abroad are currently reducing their production capacities due to the drop in demand for such films for photography purposes.

Digital photography is a technology in photography that uses computers and other technology accessories to produce more quality pictures.

Experts say it does not need the use of negative films or dark rooms, as would the analogue system. They say the only dark room …

Boutique as an Investment Window for Low-Income EarnersWithin the last seven years or more, there has been a surge in the importation of textiles and other fashion accessories from parts of the Middle East and Asia. 

Predominantly, shoes, clothes and bags from Dubai and China have provided succuor for some Nigerians who would want to be in their best but lacked the wherewithal to go for the expensive designs from Europe and the United States.

Prior to the now popular Dubai rush, this fashion business in Nigeria was strictly a competition among three classes of businessmen-the wealthy importers in designer outfits from Europe and the US, those dealing in used clothes popularly known as okrika and the local fashion designers. 

Not until 1982, when Giorgio Armani came out with the Armani USA range for the low-income earners, accessories carrying designer labels were strictly for the rich with taste and the not-so-rich that go for what they co…

Product Branding as a Money-Spinning Business

Mr. Sina Ogunrinde is the Chief Executive of Trustmark Communications Limited, a product branding company, located in Lagos. He was formerly into advertising, but the desire to provide all marketing and communication services under one roof brought him into product branding.He says that the essence of branding is to add value to the product.

Ogunrinde says that product can be branded with computerised monogramming machine and heat transfer processes. The capital required to start the business of product branding, according to him, varies according to the scale. For instance, N700,000 may just be enough to start on a small-scale; while between N10m and N30m will be required for medium-scale operation.

Where embroidery and monogramming are added to the line of production, the cost may shoot up to N100m. The capital outlay covers cost of machinery, staff salary and other operational expenses.

By Mudiaga Affe

In contemporary Nigeria, where the cost of starting a business is constantly on the rise, there appears to be succour for those who may have genuine interest in the art making of beads. 

The Managing Director, Tejaff Multi-Concept Limited in Lagos, Mrs. Linda Ozoh, explains that starting up a bead making business does not really entail much.

She, however, says that to succeed, one must have a passion for it. 

One should be interested in the act of bead making, not looking at the monetary gains at the initial stage. Outside showing interest, one has to be creative, she adds.

According to her, with a minimum of N10,000, one can start the business at home in order to save the cost of getting a shop or office accommodation. As one progresses, there could be a the need to get an ideal location for the business, she points out.

She says that the equipment needed to start up the business include …

Secrets of Running a Successful Auto GarageBy Akinpelu Dada

Many people and corporate organisations spend millions on naira to buy exotic vehicles, which instantly raise their status in the community.

While some spend fortunes to maintain their vehicles, many others fail in the basic task of maintaining their vehicles. The story of Mr. Chris Obiajulu is apt. His car is worth about N4.5m, but he finds it difficult to spend money to maintain it. He regularly patronises roadside mechanics and buy used spare parts until the engine got knocked.

Mr. Adedayo Adefolu is an unusual auto mechanic. He is the Chief Executive of Honda Solution. Though he is engaged in what thousand others are doing, his mode of operation sets him apart from the others.

While many of his contemporaries usually wait for people whose vehicles developed faults to bring them for repairs, Adefolu does not wait for customers, he practically looks for them.

He h…