Awka Business Hub – A Myth Or Question?

Awka Business Hub – A Myth Or Question?

Awka Business Hub – A Myth Or Question?: The notification on my phone broke my laser-focused attention, drawing me to take a “quick glance“. It would only be a minute – Or so I thought to myself. I quickly switched from the resume I was creating online and grabbed my phone. I had been waiting for a text message from a client all morning and I was really hoping it was it. I quickly scanned my fingerprint away and slid the phone to the left, sashaying towards my Instagram where the notification had come from. It was a message from a friend, asking me to dinner. My first instinct was to turn it down like I always do – no big deal. I wasn’t in the mood. So, I replied it and within a matter of seconds, I had unconsciously found myself in my Instagram explore feed, scrolling through random posts and videos. I stumbled across a thigh high boot and couldn’t take my eyes off it. I was a sucker for anything sneakers, boots, or even slides. I clicked on the page to “see more“. I mean, what else? From the first post, I was captivated already. I made a mental note to screenshot the ones I found alluring and too “sexy” to ignore. After which I told myself that I would send a message to them, asking the price and other miscellaneous. Luckily for me, their call care number was within reach – at the top of their bio and that was it. I sent a message and they replied. We went back and forth over the items I wanted to purchase (Which I never planned for) and settled everything. I would get my purchase within two days and that was all to it. Paid and stamped. Business sealed. Just like that, I had made a purchase off an Instagram notification – no planning, no prior arrangements. Nothing.

When I spoke to my friend (Who is an enthusiast for the Awka market/brand), he analyzed the scenario and asked me what I felt was the problem. To me, there wasn’t one but when he explained further, I realized there was indeed one. As an Awka-based young and hustling millennial, it’s easy to say that Awka isn’t like the other parts of Nigeria – I mean the parts that have majority of the Nation’s populace (which explains the socio-economic tilt towards those states). Because Awka is still an evolving quarter, we tend to “look” up to certain parts of Nigeria for goods, services and even exposure. This explains the obvious social distancing between those states and here, earning them a title some of us would no doubt love to covet.

The Awka market – Online and offline is as close to non-existent as can be and I say this without any bias or sentiments.
We’ve got one of the biggest markets in the country currently. Yes!
We’ve created a developmental platform for businesses to start and thrive. Yes!
Being the state’s capital, Awka has created a free-for-all opportunity for money making ventures which will even get recognized by the powers that be. Yes!

But do we have a solid online business presence? Is there a buy and sell hub that represents us? Do we have enough online stores with premises based in Anambra, Awka?

For instance, a random Awka-based person finds an online store on a social media app and fancies a product which they instantly swipe their credit card for and wait to get it… patiently and without fear that it would get to them. Then you ask, don’t we have our markets and business hubs where they can get these products? Of course, we do!
But have you considered the fact that a large number of people living in Anambra and the local governments in it are students? If you have, then you’d see sense in the fact that you have to cater to the needs of the higher populace which represents the youth – placing your supply level at a constant maximum. With the ever rising and constantly changing trend in fashion, science, technology and practically every other aspect of the world’s economy, one of the demands that doesn’t flinch would be the demands of the youngsters to everything the world has to offer. They want to stay updated with the newest, the latest, the fastest, the reckless, the cashless, the rarest, the dopest, etc.

A new iPhone pops out of Apple’s birth canal and they get transfixed. Wizkid‘s “STARBOY” merch gets out for sale and the next thing they’re wondering is where to get it, buy it, lend it or even rent it. How do you fix the need to feed their voracious appetite right here, in this town, without needing them to go all the way out to order it?

That’s the business I’m talking about. That’s the business market Awka lacks. And that’s the market Awka needs.

Sure we have a lot of online shops, selling wigs and the lots. We’ve a lot of women steering into the direction of WhatsApp sales – a conglomerate of the knowledgeable and the confused. Everyone wants to sell but in reality, do we even know what to sell?

You scroll past some really amazing stores online and it would seem that they all have their roots stuck in the BIG MARKET STATES. I’m yet to see an address for Anambra, Awka.

What’s the market? Do we keep “ordering” everything from the High and Mighty? Or are we simply destined to sell human hairs and bags?

Written by Pinklady Ohakah

Source: MadeinBlacc