Nigeria, identified as one of the largest African economies, particularly in the film industry, is one of the significant countries for Canon. Yuichi Ishizuka, President and CEO of Canon Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) (www.Canon.com), a global provider of imaging technologies and services, continues his regional tour in Africa and travels to Nigeria after visiting Kenya, Egypt and Morocco earlier this year.
This visit, during which Yuichi Ishizuka will meet with the Group’s various business partners and some of its customers, reaffirms his commitment to the development of Canon’s business in West Africa. The visit is an opportunity for Ishizuka to familiarize himself better with the local economic environment and business circles.
With a population of just over 190 million people, Nigeria is the most populous country in the African region, however with 44% of its people being under the age of 15 this indicates great potential for the country’s future. Nigeria is a key market for Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA), a Regional Sales Organisation which was formed in 2015 as a strategic step to enhance Canon’s operations within Africa and strengthen its in-country presence.
The Nigerian film industry, called Nollywood, stands out globally producing up to 2000 films per year, making it the second largest market in the world, just behind Hollywood. Encouraged by this outlook and keen to participate in the production of creative projects, Canon has taken a proactive step to partner with Nollywood productions by providing technical support including the Canon EOS C300 Mark camera.
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“With the growing market for content-on-demand, Nigerian films are enjoying a flourishing and significant popularity, both in Africa and globally. Thanks to this sector, the whole world can experience the country in an authentic and vibrant way though Nollywood films. We are very proud to offer continuing support of the industry in its creative productions, some of which have been featured globally by Netflix! Canon also plans to penetrate other key verticals like the Government, financial and oil & gas sectors,” said Yuichi Ishizuka.
Canon first opened a local office in Lagos in 2016 and has since employed 12 Nigerian staff based in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt to manage business operations in the country. In the first 3 years Canon has been able to successfully establish its footprint in the Nigeria market for consumer products like DSLR cameras, compact photo printers & paper and black and white copier machines. The Group now aims to develop its market share in other product categories like laser & inkjet printers, wide format printers and professional printing machines. The highlight has been the signing of a major contract with KAS Print, a leading Nigerian digital printing company, which marks the first important stage of this development.
“We want to improve the quality of printing in the Nigerian market and increase the production of professional printing in the country. We envision a scenario where professional printing grows in Nigeria retaining and thus support jobs in the market. This year, we have also set up a partnership with Yaba University of Technology (Yabatech) as part of the “Miraisha” sustainable development program, which aims to strengthen the capacities and skills of people in the African countries where Canon operates. Canon supports students in their learning by offering regular training sessions, which improves their professional skills and prepares them for their entry into the world of work. Canon wants to be a supportive partner of transformational growth in African countries,” concluded Yuichi Ishizuka.