The Arts and Crafts Industry in Nigeria has evolved over the years. Being in a conservative environment where certain occupations have been dominantly occupied by males, the art and craft industry has definitely broken out of that narrative.
With so many female artists who have left such indelible marks in the arts and crafts Industry, Artists such as Maryam Maigida Umar, Damilola Olusegun, Sarah Adenike Sanni, Udoka Uju, Otobong Nkanga.
Rekhia Abiri is one of those who have excelled greatly and carved a niche for herself in the crafts space, she has led several young and vibrant Nigerian youths who continue to improve on quality and creativity thus raising the bar per excellence for wicker home goods made in Nigeria.
Rekhia Abiri, the Founder and Creative Director of Canemakers Crafts and Decor shares her story on her ladder to success.
Hello Rekhia, can we meet you?
My name is Rekhia Abiri. I hold a degree in literary arts and a diploma in Mass Communication. My role in the business covers product designing, business growth strategy, and customer experience.
Being in the arts and crafts space is not something that comes naturally for females in Nigeria, what was your inspiration for going into this craft?
Coming from a family of legal juggernauts, writers, visual artists, and creatives. It is not far-fetched to be arts and crafts inclined. I have always loved nature, arts, and interior decor. But I came into this industry because I was trying to find solutions in a field I am passionate about, and also take advantage of the opportunities made available. Cane craft had always existed, but seeing that it didn’t exist online, it was a gap that needed to be filled.
When did you come into the business?
I founded the business in 2018 after I discovered a gap between the indigenous crafters of wicker goods in Nigeria and clients in the digital space. Today, we have moved from the selling of wicker baskets for hampers to the design and production of a variety of wicker home goods for interior decoration. We have also been privileged to partner with a number of international interior designers and to have participated in a few made-in-Nigeria product designs exhibitions.
Every successful entrepreneur has their own tales, Tell us how your journery into entrepreneurship and cane craft-making has been so far?
It has been a bitter-sweet experience. Building a brand in 3 years is what we never saw coming. But like every other business, some challenges come with being an entrepreneur, but the most important thing is to learn and keep evolving.
Arts and craft is a very peculiar market, especially being in such a traditional space. How would you describe the Nigerian markets, as far as art appreciation is concerned?
The art market is not for just everybody, Not everyone can understand art, but the fraction of people who do are in two groups. The ones who appreciate art by word of mouth, see beautiful artwork, and admire it but aren’t willing to pay the price for it. Then the other group understands the value and would pay for it. Most of our clients are well-traveled, understand the value of art and appreciate its entirety.
How would you gauge the growth in entrepreneurial activities in Nigeria, Has entrepreneurial activities improved in Nigeria over the years?
With the advent of digital marketing and social media, it has become easier to start a business in Nigeria. Not having to be limited by brick and mortar has broadened the clientele of entrepreneurs. You could be in Lagos and patronize goods and services in Port Harcourt. More people are starting their businesses without necessarily having a physical store, this is a huge milestone.
Would you say businesses in Nigeria have fully understood the power of the internet and how has social media particularly helped your business grow?
There’s been significant growth in the use of the internet for business, several people have made lots of money from marketing their products online not even needing a physical location to transact, this shows how well people have understood the power the internet holds. Social media has helped my brand gain visibility and has brought ease to some of my operations. It is easier to understand the needs of my audience thanks to social media.
Judging by your experience, have Nigerians have become more comfortable with patronizing local brands now compared to the past?
Absolutely! We’ve had clients patronize our brands because it is Nigerian-owned. But as a brand, we make sure we deliver by not bringing anything other than what is expected. Most people who are more comfortable with patronizing international brands have adopted the mindset that Nigerians love to cut corners and produce substandard goods, and they can’t be blamed because this is from a place of experience. But it’s time to change that narrative.
What can the Nigerian Government do to encourage local businesses/ production?
Stabilizing Foreign exchange would go a long way because most of our needs as a nation and even in this business are imported, stabilizing the Naira would see to it that the cost of production is reduced. The Nigerian government should also see to it that policies that would not put a strain on businesses are made. Another thing would be making loans accessible to entrepreneurs.
How do you source your production materials?
A majority of our production materials are locally made. About 80% of the materials used are gotten from Nigeria apart from a few things which we need to import, we have suppliers and I take out time to inspect the quality of the goods we get to ensure we don’t drop on our standards.
What are the most satisfying moments in doing business?
Being known in the industry for producing quality goods, and winning the trust of our clients has to be top on the list. It feels good to know that we have put the Nigerian cane-craft market on the map, because we exist, other businesses in the industry are thriving. The cane market is doing way better than it used to, we are grateful for that.
What are some of the lowest moments you have faced in doing business?
Running a business at a loss is one, due to inflation, the cost of some of the materials goes up, this affects production cost, which results in a hike in price.
Would you say the Nigerian Government has done enough in promoting local businesses internationally?
There’s so much more that needs to be done. There’s a lot of creativity in Nigeria that can attract global attention. In the same way we’ve not preserved tourism in Nigeria, there’s been neglect in nurturing the things that would get us international recognition. Government can do more in this regard.
Would you say that the climate in Nigeria encourages or boosts creativity?
It is tough to do business in Nigeria there are so many things to contend with, factors like bad roads, illiteracy, poor economic policies, and lots more. What has kept us going is our determination to succeed regardless.
How has westernization helped art appreciation in this part of the world.
The majority of customers patronize us because they see how some of our products are used internationally, thanks to access to the internet. Westernization has influenced arts appreciation generally.
