SAWDUST BRIQUETTE EXPORT BUSINESS

One major achievement of the present civilian administration in the past twelve (12) years has been the revival and growth of the non-oil export market in Nigeria. Non-oil export has recorded a tremendous increase of 112.4 % in nine years spanning 2001 to 2010 with annual average growth figure of 10.34 %.

Hardwood charcoal is one of the key export commodities in Nigeria. Though a viable export commodity but the rate at which new entrant are coming into the business is increasing depleting the rate of return on investment of the business hence the need to diversify to a product with less competition and good rate of return on investment.

Sawdust briquette is compressed sawdust and just like hardwood charcoal is used as fuel. It has a greater advantage over charcoal and firewood because it is smokeless and combusts for longer hours. The export market for sawdust is also large, sustainable and expanding.

A briquette (or briquette) is a block of flammable matter used as fuel to start and maintain a fire.  They are produced from dry sawdust and the resulting compressed dust comes out in a solid and cylindrical shape. It can also be in different shapes. The conversation is done through the briquetting machine and the briquette does not require any binding agent or chemical adhesive.

They are used as cooking fuel in hotels, boarding school/hostels, eateries and factories where boilers are been used.

The product is marketed according to the grading briefly as follows:-

Grade "A"- void of cracks, hard with metallic sound when rolled and lengthy (not more than 4 pcs in a length of 390mm).

Grade "B"- with minimum cracks, hard and not less than 75mm in length.

Grade "C"- as "B" except the length is not less than 50mm in length.

During the era of late Gen. Sanni Abacha, sawdust ranked amongst the leading cooking fuel in Nigeria, due to the scarcity of kerosene. Sawdust, the chief raw material in the production of sawdust briquette, is produced as waste product in the processing and production of woods.

The market for sawdust briquette is both local and international though the international market is more developed than the local market.

The growing world population continues to fuel the demand for cooking fuel around the world and due to increasing awareness on global warming and its effects on the ecosystem, sawdust briquette is cheaper, faster and better than the regular firewood, natural gas, charcoal and kerosene. Opportunities exist in the production, sales and export of the product.

The exportable nature of this product makes it a goldmine for investors who wish to go into the export of the product or for existing exporters of charcoal to make greater profit as the demand is hot abroad.

The return on investment in the export of sawdust briquette is between 25% - 35%.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN TRADING AND BROKERAGE OF NIGERIAN CRUDE OIL.

Nigeria has for long been a major producer of crude oil ever since the first commercial well was drilled in Oloibiri in present day Bayelsa state. The country presently has an estimated 35.3 billion barrels both onshore and offshore assets mostly domiciled in the Niger Delta basin. Nigeria presently ranks tenth in the most petroleum-rich nation, and by the far the most affluent in Africa producing about two million {2,000,000} barrels per day.

Nigeria's petroleum is classified mostly as "light" and "sweet", as the oil is largely free of sulphur. Nigeria is the largest producer of sweet oil in OPEC. This sweet oil is similar in composition to petroleum extracted from the North Sea. This crude oil is known as "Bonny light". Names of other Nigerian crudes, all of which are named according to export terminal, are Qua Ibo, Escravos blend, Brass River, Forcados, and Pennington Anfan.

Sales of crude oil in Nigeria are usually done through the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation {NNPC} on FOB basis. Prospective buyers can also source the product on the following delivery terms from other source CIF, TTT or TTO. 

FOB – Free On Board (named loading port): The classic maritime trade term, seller must load the goods on board the ship nominated by the buyer, cost and risk being divided at ship's rail. The seller must clear the goods for export.

TTO- Tanker-Taker-Over: As the name suggests refers to a situation where the buyer takes over the hiring of the pregnant vessel along with the product it contains.

TTT- Tanker to Tanker Transfer: This refers to a situation where the buyer hires his own vessel and uses same to purchase products from the seller.

Petroleum products are among the most valuable natural resources abundantly available in our country. Nigerians and people everywhere use petroleum products as a fuel in their automobiles, generating sets, industrial plants and for cooking purposes, thus making petroleum products an essential commodity that is needed for the daily operations of individual, industrial and national activities.

Nigeria being an oil producing nation however still relies on imported petroleum products for the servicing of the economy. Such petroleum products as Petrol (PMS), Diesel (AGO) and kerosene (DPK) are products utilized by almost everybody on daily basis at an average of 60 million litres daily usage.

Due to increasing level of standard of living, more Nigerians are increasing the number of cars on the road, the need for constant power supply to aid uninterrupted production of goods and services and also for domestic use more Nigerians are increasing the demand for fuel in order to enjoy the usage of their generating sets and industrial plants.

OPPORTUNITY IN MARINE SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE PETROLEUM SECTOR.

An estimated $8 billion is spent annually on outsourcing of services in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria in operations such as fabrication, engineering procurement, construction (EPC), Front End Engineering Design (FEED), conceptual designs and seismic studies. This figure is projected to hit $15 billion within the next few years (Business Day, 2008).

Regrettably, despite these huge sums of money spent in servicing the industry, only a very little proportion of the accrue-able profit is spent in Nigeria. Majority of the amounts are repatriated abroad, where most of the equipment is manufactured; and providing employment opportunities for citizens of other countries.

The major reason for this situation has been attributed to low local content (LC), which is a situation where most of the service contracts are awarded to foreign firms because local indigenous firms lack the requisite skills, technical expertise, manpower and production capacity and capability to compete favorably.

The passage and assent of the Nigerian Local Content Policy is an expression of the desire of the Federal Government of Nigeria to ensure that companies owned by Nigerians actively participate not only in the oil and gas trade of Nigeria but in all technical aspects of the Nigerian economy.

The entire essence of the new law is to increase indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry by prescribing minimum thresholds for the use of local services and materials and to promote the employment of Nigerian staff in the Industry.

Along with the Cabotage law in the maritime industry, which seeks to restrict the use of Foreign Vessels in Domestic Coastal trade to promote the development of indigenous tonnage and to establish a Cabotage vessel financing fund and for Related Matters, Nigerian investors can better harness the opportunity available in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria by providing maritime support services through leasing and rental of vessel, barge and tugboat.

Haulage of crew and equipment is an essential part of an oil and gas operation which requires the use of barges, tugboats and vessels.

A Barge is a flat – bottomed boat built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy equipment’s. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed or pushed by towboats. In the oil and gas industry, they are mostly used in swampy operation for the haulage of crew and equipment.

A tug boat is a boat that maneuvers vessel by pushing and towing them. They are usually used to tow barges.

A vessel is a craft for traveling and transporting goods on water and is usually larger than boats and barges.

Providing marine support services in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria is surely a viable business but the investor needs to be armed with the right information to succeed in the business.

MAKE MONEY SUPPLYING SOYA BEANS TO LOCAL INDUSTRIES

Nigeria presently produces about 500,000 MT of Soybean annually making it the largest producer of the product on the African continent. Soybean is a legume which is produced in most the middle belt of the country with Benue state accounting for about 45% of the total production in country.

Soybeans are an important source of high quality and inexpensive protein and oil. With an average protein content of 40% and oil content of 20%, soybean has the highest protein content of all food crops and is second only to groundnut in terms of oil content amongst food legumes. Soybeans are used in the production of milk, edible oil and animal feed. It’s high protein content and price makes it the best option in terms of treating malnutrition and would continue to expand the international market for the product which currently is estimated at US$40 billion.

Nigeria currently produces soybean worth $85 million in the international market and though most of the nation’s soybean is consumed locally where they are used in the production of soya milk and specially formulated foods to help malnourished infants and children, the international market for the product is growing and sustainable.

Foraminifera Market Research seeks to highlight the investment opportunity in the supply of soya beans to local industries in Nigeria.

The market for palm and edible oil is national. With a population of over one hundred and fifty {150,000,000} million people and an estimated national population growth rate of 5.7% per annum ,an average economic growth rate of 3.5% per annum in the past five {5} years, Nigeria has a large market for edible oil.

In 2005, in order to stimulate local production and attain self sufficiency in edible oil production, the government introduced the presidential initiative on the development of edible oil over a period not exceeding three {3} years. Under this initiative, attention was focused on the promotion of eleven scheduled oil seed crops which are oil palm seed, groundnut seed, Soya beans seed, cotton seed etc and production target was set for each of the crops under the programme as follow

1. Oil Palm: 1 million hectares capacity of producing 15 million fresh fruit bunches
2. Groundnut: 15 million tones annually
3. Soya beans: 670,000 1 million tones per annum
4. Seed Cotton: 1 million tones over the plan period

After five {5} years of the initiative, the domestic edible oil demand far exceeds the national production. The short fall in supply being estimated at about 50,000 tones per year. From the above figures, it is clear that there is a large and sustainable market for edible oil in Nigeria.

Soybean is an important source of high quality and inexpensive protein and oil. With an average protein content of 40% and oil content of 20%, soybean has the highest protein content of all food crops and is second only to groundnuts in terms of oil content amongst food legumes.

Because of it numerous uses, soya beans are in great demand and this opens an opportunity for interested investors to export the product.

The return on investment on the export of raw cashew nuts is estimated between 10%- 15%.

MAKE MONEY BY PACKAGING RAW CRAYFISH FOR EXPORT

Agriculture is characterized by considerable regional and crop diversity.  Analysis of this sector, particularly the food sub-sector, is fraught with serious data problems.  However, the available statistics provide a broad overview of development in agriculture upon which we can make some broad generalizations about its role in economic development and structural change.

In the 1960s, the agricultural sector was the most important in terms of contributions to domestic production, employment and foreign exchange earnings.  The situation remained almost the same three decades later with the exception that it is no longer the principal foreign exchange earner, a role now being played by oil.

The sector remained stagnant during the oil boom decade of the 1970s, and this accounted largely for the declining share of its contributions.  The trend in the share of agriculture in the GDP shows a substantial variation and long-term decline from 60% in the early 1960s through 48.8% in the 1970s and 22.2% in the 1980s. Unstable and often inappropriate economic policies (of pricing, trade and exchange rate), the relative neglect of the sector and the negative impact of oil boom were also important factors responsible for the decline in its contributions.

On its diversity, Agriculture features tree and food crops, forestry, livestock and fisheries.  In 1993 at 1984 constant factor cost, crops (the major source of food) accounted for about 30% of the Gross Domestic Products (GDP), livestock about 5%, forestry and wildlife about 1.3% and fisheries accounted 1.2%.

Any nation that requires economic development must look inwards to identify areas where it has comparative advantage over other nations and seek to develop the identified areas.

With a lot of fresh water bodies spread across Nigeria, the nation surely have comparative advantage in the production of crayfish. Crayfish, a crustacean of higher order found in fresh water is a very popular spice in the tropics where they are used in the preparation of food. It is estimated that about 12,000 MT of crayfish is produced annually in Nigeria and we seek to expose the investment opportunity in the packaging and export of crayfish through feasibility report.

The demand for African foodstuffs in Europe and America is rising due to increasing number of Africans, particularly Africans who sojourn to these countries for the proverbial greener pastures.

There are many small foodstuffs exporters in the West African sub region who depend on middlemen to export their produce in small quantities and sell to consumers or retailers running ethnic shops in the US and Europe.

The volume of Nigerian export of foodstuffs to these countries is still on a very small scale considering the estimation of well over 20 million Nigerians who reside outside the country, with the majority, living in the UK and the US. This is a great opportunity to sell to this category of people. The few exporters of African foodstuffs cannot meet with the demand of Nigerians whose population is increasing everyday abroad.

As one of the major food condiment in Nigeria, a large market exists for the export of raw crayfish abroad.

The return on investment on the trading of raw crayfish is estimated between 10%- 20% per transaction.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE DOWNSTREAM SECTOR OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

In the last decade or so, petroleum (oil) has claimed the top position in Nigeria’s export list, constituting a very fundamental change in the structure of the country’s international trade. 

 

Oil prospecting began in Nigeria as far back as 1908 but production and export started in 1958 in Shell’s field located at Oloibiri. Other companies joined soon after independence and the number of oil producing and exporting companies now stands at about 11.

 

The share of oil in total export value rose from less than 1 per cent in 1958 to a peak of 97 per cent in 1984 and has not been less than 90 per cent since then. In the first half of 1990, it accounted for over 95 per cent of total exports and its share of GDP has ranged between 25 and 30 per cent in recent years. 

 

Nigeria produces about 2,000,000 million barrels per day and is the sixth largest oil producing country in the world.

The petroleum industry is usually divided into three {3} major components, upstream, midstream and downstream. Midstream operations are usually included in the downstream category.

 

The downstream oil sector is a term commonly used to refer to the refining of crude oil and the selling and distribution of natural gas and products derived from crude oil. It cuts across manufacturing, marketing, sales, distribution, transportation and haulage.

 

There are significant investment opportunities in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. Statistics have it that there are over six thousand {6,000} independent petroleum products marketers and six {6} major marketers of distributing and marketing petroleum products across the country. 

 

Nigeria currently consumes an estimated sixty million {60,000,000} liters of refined petroleum products {PMS, DPK and AGO} per day and with population of over one hundred and sixty five million {165,000,000} people, growing at the rate of about 2.7% per annum with an estimated economic growth rate of 5.7% in the past five {5} years, the market for refined petroleum products in Nigeria, is established, growing and sustainable.

SACHET WATER {PURE WATER} PRODUCTION. A VIABLE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.

Water is one of the most essential commodities for the survival of all lives. It is abundant in nature and occupies about 70% of the earth’s crust. However, safe drinking water is very scarce hence the need for processing, treatment and proper packaging of water before consumption.
In Nigeria, One major achievement of the present civilian administration in the past eleven (11) years as been the growth of middle class witnessed in the country. This growth continues to drive the increasing social and sanitary awareness of the need for hygienically and well produced food products like sachet and bottle water in the country.

The market for sachet and bottle water is national .With a population of over one hundred and forty million (140,000,000) people and an estimated national population growth rate of 5.7% per annum , average economic growth rate of 3.5% per annum in the past five (5) years ,Nigeria is a large ,expanding and sustainable market for sachet and bottle water. Though the market for sachet and bottle water in Nigeria, the business tends to sale more in the northern part of Nigeria where hot weather is prompting people into drinking more water than usual and lack of clean pump water contributed in giving the business a good push up.

Sachet and bottle water is consumed on daily basis by all and sundry irrespective of age, social class or religion. The raw material required for the production of sachet water is water while the other factors of production like land, capital, labour also comes to play.

In the production of sachet water {pure water}, the two most important equipment required for production is the water treatment plant and the sachet water filling machine.

Some of the machines needed for bottled table water production and their uses is given below.
Part One: Pure Water Treatment System.

This system is comprised of; activated carbon filter tank, sand filter tank, softer/ion exchange tank and also the reverse osmosis system. For control, it uses PLC system to monitor the operation of the entire system.

Washing, Capping, Filling Machine (3-in-1)
This machine can automatically wash, fill and cap plastic and glass bottles.

Cap Elevator : This machine is not necessary but it is convenient and it improves the hygienic operation of the line.

 

 Light Checker: After the bottles have been filled it is necessary to check that the finished products meet the set and acceptable standard. And that is exactly what this machine is designed to do.

Auto Cap Code Printer : This machine is used to print codes on the caps. The date of production and the batch number can be printed with this machine.

Cap Sterilizer : As bottled pure water is a cold process production, it is necessary to sterilize the caps before loading them on the washing, filling and capping machine.

Conveyor : To facilitate the production process the bottles have to be moved from one unit to another.

Steam operated Shrinking Tunnel (Labeling machine) : This machine shrinks the producer’s label on the bottled water. Please note that you will need a steam generator with this machine.

Wrapping/Shrinking Machine : This is a packaging machine. I will advise you to buy the manual type as it is much cheaper than the semi-automatic one.

The return on this project is quite attractive and impressive that it would be difficult for any financial institution especially banks with discerning credit officers to turn down any loan request for funding this project. Promoters of this venture will also feel comfortable to release their hard earned money to finance this project.

The successful implementation of this project begins with the preparation of detailed and bankable feasibility study report to ascertain the actual cost/benefit status of the project. As a part of the legal requirements , the promoter has to register its product with NAFDAC.

MAKE HUGE PROFIT OPERATING A NYLON AND PLASTIC RECYCLING PLANT IN NIGERIA.

As at the time of writing these article, global warming { Climate Change} is a subject of global interest because of it’s consequences on the environment and man. Global warming is simply the rise in the temperature of the earth as a result of ozone layer depletion from the actions of chemicals and gas like Chlorofluorocarbon {CFC’S}which allows the entrance of sun rays and other dangerous elements into the atmosphere therefore increasing the temperature of the earth. These have great dangers to human’s and other living organism.

Global warming as important as it is is not the subject matter of these write-up but the twin benefits of arresting deforestation of our economic trees, reducing the rate of ozone layer depletion, reduce burying of waste which causes underground water pollution and reducing the over-stress of waste in the environment by investing in a nylon and plastic bag recycling plant.

Recycling involves processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production.

In the economic aspect, recycling makes a nation or individual to recover money otherwise lost through pollution, burning and burying of waste material. Nylon and plastic waste recycling will complement the international concern for environment and our government’s campaign against deforestation and ozone layer depletion which leads to climate change. It will reduce environmental pollution caused by sachet water pack littering the street, bus-stop and blocking our drainage.

Waste nylon and plastic are recycled into nylon bags and jumbo polythene sheets and the market for it is national, growing and sustainable. They are used in packing of flour, sugar and salt by the multinationals, as trailer cover, and by plastic industries as raw material. In the agricultural sector, they are used as shelter and bagging of seedlings, animal feeds and fertilizers.

The raw material for recycling include pure water sachet, broken plastics, empty bottle water which can be sourced from pure water producing companies,eateries, hotels etc. Collection bags can be placed in the areas identified and by special arrangement with the owners/management, instruction given to people to drop their plastic waste. The product for supply are typically washed, treated and dried before they are used to produce nylon bags and polythene sheets.

With a population of close to 18 million people, waste management is a top priority for the Lagos State Government. The current administration is urging the private sector to get involved in all areas of waste management. Lagos produces 9 000 tones of waste per day. With a population density of 4 193 people per km2 and a projected population of 25.4 million by 2015, issues related to waste loom large in any development strategy - and present a wide range of possibilities for the investment community. Same opportunity exists in other state of the federation.

The plant and machinery would be sourced locally and it is 1 ton per day capacity plant for the processing of nylon and plastic waste and the ideal location would be in any part of the country where the raw material can be sourced and where plastic industries are located. Such plastic industries are the major consumer of recycled nylon and plastic material. A plot of land or warehouse would be ideal for the factory.

With 12 hours of constant electricity supply, the machine can produce 300 /400 KG of polythene bags. During the peak period which is usually between February and April, 1 KG of polythene sells for N200 hence 300 KG would yield N6000 per day added to the income from the use of the extruder alone, one can earn N21,000 in one day.

The proposed recycling plant would take an estimated sum of N 4,000,000 as shown below

Pre-Investment N 200,000
Accommodation/Factory Building N1, 500,000
Plant and Machinery N 1,000,000
Motor Vehicle N800, 000
Working Capital N500, 000

Total N4, 000,000

From preliminary study the return on investment is between 10% - 15%.

Same opportunity also exist in the processing of waste paper and other waste products in Nigeria.

MAKE MONEY FROM OIL PALM PLANTATION INVESTMENT

The Oil Palm tree is one of the greatest economic assets a state or nation has, provided its importance is realized and potentials fully harnessed. Oil Palm products include Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil and Palm Kernel Cake. These can further be processed into RBD OLEIN (Cooking Oil), Vegetable Ghee, Shortenings, Margarine, CBS. CBE, Ice Cream, Dough, Creaming, Coating, and other specialty fats. Some other by-products of the Oil Palm include Palm wine, fatty alcohols as well as intermediates.

Nature so made it that all aspects of the Oil palm tree is useful and economically viable.” Oils" is a collective term for more or less viscous, generally organic-chemical liquids. Depending on their chemical composition, a distinction may be drawn between fatty, essential, mineral and silicone oils. Fatty oils include liquid, semisolid and solid products of vegetable and animal origin. They are also known as sweet oils. Palm kernel oil is a white to yellowish oil of vegetable origin which is solid at normal temperatures and is obtained from the kernels of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). It is one of the best oils.

Palm kernel oil is different from palm oil, which is obtained from the flesh of the fruit. Three {3} products namely palm kernel oil, palm kernel cake and palm kernel shell {crushed} which is used as a biofuel can be gotten from palm kernel nuts. Palm kernel oil is processed to yield edible fats, soaps and candles and is used in the confectionery, pharmaceutical and perfume industries.

Palm Kernel Oil Specifications:
FFA (%) Max: 2.5
Moisture & Impurities (%) Max: 0.3
IV: 16-19Colour (5 1/4" Lovibond)
R: 3.4-4.5
Colour (5 1/4" Lovibond)
Y: 30-32

Vegetable oil is a product derived from oil bearing seeds and has both domestic and industrial uses. Domestically, it is used in homes and fast food centers as cooking oil while industrially, they are used in the production of soap, butter and margarine. The cake gotten as a bye-product is used in formulating livestock feeds especially for cattle, sheep and poultry.

THE MARKET:

The market for edible oil is national. With a population of over 140 million people and an estimated national population growth rate of 5.7% per annum ,an average economic growth rate of 3.5% per annum in the past five {5} years, Nigeria has a large market for edible oil. The demand is high but local supply low hence the need for importation in the past.

In 2005, in order to stimulate local production and attain self sufficiency in vegetable oil production, the government introduced the presidential initiative on the development if vegetable oil over a period not exceeding three {3} years. Under these initiative, attention was focused on the promotion of eleven scheduled oil seed crops which are oil palm,groundnut,soya beans, cotton etc and production target was set for each of the crops under the programme as follow

1. Oil Palm: 1 million hectares capacity of producing 15 million fresh fruit bunches
2. Groundnut: 15 million tones annually
3. Soya beans: 670,000 1 million tones per annum
4. Seed Cotton: 1 million tones over the plan period

After three {3} years of starting the initiative, the domestic edible oil demand for exceeds the national production. The short fall in supply being estimated at about 50,000 tones per year. From the above figures, it is clear that there is a large and sustainable market for vegetable oil in Nigeria.

Large expanse is land is also available for the cultivation of oil palm seedlings for interested investor and we can help secure already producing plantation for willing investors.

The rising cost of oil and other traditional source of energy coupled with the need to reduce the effects of global warming are intensifying the search for alternative clean fuel sources across the world.

MAKING MONEY FROM STOVE THREAD PRODUCTION

Stove thread needs no introduction because over 100,000,000 families and 50,000,000 restaurants/caterers cook their daily meals with kerosene stove which uses thread as a conductor.

However, what seems to be little known is the huge profit derivable from the production of stove thread. Stove thread is made from the combination of cotton and polyester yarns in different texture and thickness all sourced locally.

The machine used in the production of stove thread is also sourced locally and come in two capacities. The first machine goes for N70,000 and produces between 100-200 dozens of thread in 24 hours while the second machine goes for N90,000 and produces 200 plus dozens of thread in 24 hours.

The machine can be ruined by one person, requires little space and does not require generator or power supply to operate. The profit derivable from the business depends on the capacity of the machine in use and the length of the thread produced.

Below is the cost and profit analysis of the different length

Smallest length {a dozen}
Production cost =N15,selling price =N35
Medium length {a dozen} production cost =N20,selling price =N50
Longest length {a dozen} production cost = N30,selling price = N70

There also exist opportunities for the production of customized stove thread for restaurants /caterers that uses special stoves. The demand for stove thread in Nigeria always surpasses the supply because less number of people know about the huge profit to be made from the business .

The product is also in hot demand in Chad, Nigeria republic and other west African countries. The market is further deepened by the fact that it can be used to reduce global warming by reducing deforestation.

This business is suitable for graduates, retirees, house wives, stove thread retailers and everybody looking for alternative source of income. It is important to both government and private institutions that are into poverty reduction schemes.

Micro-finace banks can also benefit from this seminar by training and establishing the business for there customers/clients. Churches and Non-government organization {NGO} would also benefit. We undertake special one –day intensive training covering both the theoretical and practical aspect of the business for institution/organization like Microfinance banks, NGO’S, Churches etc.

The minimum number of participant is 30 and the seminar fee is N7500 per participant. We can offer discount if more participants are registered . For training outside Lagos, the clients would have to take care of the venue, accommodation, transportation and welfare.

The seminar would cover the following areas

1. Introduction to the business of stove thread production.
2. Investment opportunity in the buying and selling of yarns
3. Market analysis of stove thread in Nigeria and the West African countries
4. Raw materials sourcing and price
5. Practical session.

Some of the advantages of establishing the business is

1. Low start-up cost
2. Requires no generator
3. Less labour requirement
4. Less space requirement
5. The product has a ready market
6. Local availability of raw material and plant

HOW TO MAKE MONEY PROCESSING TOMATOES

Tomato is regarded as a fruit in some quarters and as vegetable in others but which ever way you look at it, tomato is a highly nutritious food ingredient used in the preparation of many food. Tomato is virtually used by every tribe in Nigeria.

In time part in Nigeria, tomatoes grown in the south west had great dominance over all other varieties in the market but as the economy of the country expanded and the market for the globe looking type of tomato grown in the northern part of the country becoming too small as a result of low consumption rate, the variety stated gaining dominance in the southern market. Over time, this variety has dominated the market in Nigeria.

MARKET FOR PROCESSED TOMATO:

For a nation that wants to develop, it most focuses on area where it has comparative advantage and surely Nigeria does has a comparative advantage in the agricultural sector especially in tomatoes production and processing.

Nigeria produces about MT of tomato per year but over 50% of these value is lost majorly through poor storage system and bad road network thereby leading to lack of availability of the product during certain period of the year and also making it expensive.

The above loophole makes tomato processing a viable business in Nigeria. The demand for tomato and its bye-product far outweighs the supply.

With a population of over 140 million people and an estimated national population growth rate of 5.7% per annum ,an average economic growth rate of 3.5% per annum in the past five {5} years, Nigeria has a large market for processed tomato product . Also the investor can also take advantage of the trade liberalization in the West African {ECOWAS} market to sale there product.

In Europe and America, tomatoes are either presented fresh in supermarkets or packed in tins for consumers. The packaged tomatoes are used in the export market and Nigeria is one of the countries involved in its importation which also speaks of our consumption rate.

However, since tin tomatoes do not come in large packs, it cannot meet the needs of large size market consumers like those used for weddings, restaurants, parties, hotel and this market is very huge in Nigeria.

PLANT CAPACITY:

Tomatoes milling plant could be operated on a small, medium or large scale depending on the availability of the raw material and the investor’s financial capability.

RAW MATERIAL:

The major raw material needed in tomatoes and it can be sourced mainly from the northern part of the country in the following states Sokoto, Gombe, Yobe, Kano, Kaduna ,Benue e.t.c.