This week’s CNN Marketplace Africa sees host Zain Asher interview Cosmas Maduka, founder of Nigerian conglomerate Coscharis Group.
Asked about where the seeds of his success originate from, Maduka tells CNN about the apprenticeship he undertook: “This apprenticeship time was the best moment of my life. My brain was open, sharp. When people were going to university I was selling auto components.”
Describing his first business venture, he explains: “I opened my first auto component sales, because this is my area of core competence. I had one quarter of a shop, something that is not more than this corner of a wall somebody gave me, with six months for free of charge. I started keeping merchandise here. Come into Lagos, buy it, and go to the eastern part of Nigeria, selling. I earned enough money to own a store myself.”
Asked whether Nigeria will export cars in the future, Maduka says: “I see Nigeria exporting cars in the next 15 years. Our neighbours would be willing to buy from us. Many car manufacturers would like to use Nigeria as a hub… There’s a market that exists within this country that will fill in Ghana, Gabon, Cameroon, all the neighbouring West African countries, all of them will take possession from Nigeria.
