Maureen Omeibe is a thoroughbred entrepreneur running chains of flourishing businesses. She is the Executive Director, of Degab Groups Limited, a 20-year-old indigenous company that is into manufacturing, trading, real estate and logistics. The industry arm of her venture- Degab Industries, is the sole assembler of Degab tricycles and motorcycles in Nigeria and neighbouring African countries.
Omeibe’s passion for business and adding value also made her get into women’s capacity development and leadership. She is presently the vice-chairman of the Motorcycle Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, and treasurer of Motor Vehicles and Miscellaneous Assembly Nigeria. Also, Omeibe is the Lagos State Chapter Coordinator of the African Women in Leadership Organisation, AWLO, and the founder, Network for Women and Public Policy, NETWAPP.
She is a fellow of the Institute of Political Administration and Management of Nigeria and has a Master’s degree in Public and International Affairs, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Lagos. Omeibe in this interview speaks on her work, challenges facing Nigeria’s sub-automobile sector, and her plans to migrate into a full automobile assembly firm.
How has the current global health crisis affected your industry locally?
It has created numerous opportunities for the auto-mobile subsector. More e-commerce businesses are springing up and automatically, they will be needing logistics to take care of deliveries. This will, in turn, create more logistics firm; and this is more market for two-wheeler machines.
Hospitals, confectioneries, pharmacy stores and malls are all switching to deliveries of their products to the customers right at their homes as more and more persons are showing reluctance in visiting these places.
Let’s talk about Degab Industries…
Degab Industries is a subsidiary of Degab Groups. We manufacture and assemble motorcycle, tricycles and accessories. We also run technical training and service centres where diagnosis, repairs and maintenance of tricycles and motorcycles are carried out. In tune with the realities of the industry and the shrinking market space for two and three-wheelers, we are gradually migrating into a full automobile assembly.
Women are few in this field; what sparked your interest?
The business was a child of necessity. It began many years ago from an established marketing, haulage and trading company called Degab Commercial Stores, which was established in the 90s by Sir Gabriel Omeibe, the Chairman of Degab Group who is actually my husband and long-standing business mentor.
How do you feel about the ban placed on motorcycles and tricycles by successive governments?
The truth is that most industrialised nations with outstanding and thriving automobile industry today like China or Germany never discarded their two and three-wheelers products and technologies. Instead, they advanced them and merely progressed from that point to establish their automobile industries.
Phasing out motorcycles and tricycles, like most governments are attempting to do, cannot solve any economic problem. On safety grounds, maybe, yes though. Rather than phasing out without a contingency plan as seen in most states, the government should provide a strategic plan of exit for these products.
This can work through effective collaboration with the public and the manufacturers of these products. This is to ensure that suitable alternatives are provided for the Nigerian public who do not own their means of transportation on roads that are perpetually in bad conditions.
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It’s tough running a manufacturing business in Nigeria, what’s your personal experience?
The level attained so far in Degab Industries resides in our in-depth knowledge of two-wheelers and three-wheelers products, and the company’s knack for building products towards the customer’s needs. Understanding the motorcycles and tricycles market in West Africa, innovation and our consistency in the market place, have all contributed to our success.
For over two decades, Degab Commercial Stores Limited, a sister company, has navigated through seasons and the toughest of times in the marketing and sales of motorcycles and tricycles in Nigeria and other West African countries. This consistency, knowledge and long years of research, have provided the technical team in Degab Industries the opportunity to live through all shortfalls and gather relevant experience to withstand changes in government policies, technology and competition in the market.
We also collaborate with other companies in Nigeria on production when we secure contracts that outweigh our current capacity.
…So, what must be done to grow this sector locally?
Government must craft a very sound regulatory policy and must, as a matter of urgency, create the enabling environment to encourage full manufacturing of the components of motorcycles and tricycles here in Nigeria at a minimal comparative cost. This foundation is necessary not just as a prelude for the sustainability of this sub-sector, but also for the entire automobile industry.
Are there formative decisions and experiences that influenced your personality?
I identified quite early that I wanted to have a fair knowledge on almost everything around me. Acquiring knowledge fascinated me. In simple terms, I am inquisitive. I also belly an unusual desire to know more about the components of my environment.
Growing up as a young girl, years back, I had this strong inclination to solving problems around me and my family members. I think among other key decisions I took in my formative years, my commitment to the improvement of my knowledge and skills, and the decision to become a solution provider, are the greatest influence of whom I have become today. All the enterprise or causes I am currently engaged in today all stem from a strong inner desire to be part of solutions to problems I see in my everyday life.
Among others, poverty, lack of right education or tailored skills, inequality and poor leadership, are my major discomforts as I grew older in not just Nigeria but Africa as a whole.
This was what directed my choice of career, vocations and directs my general engagements in life.
