"When I started Okafor Supermart in 2018 with ₦2.5 million raised through family contributions and a small business loan from Access Bank, I operated from a modest shop in Ikeja, selling household items and groceries.
The first year was incredibly challenging – sometimes I made only ₦8,000 daily. My uncle provided additional ₦500,000 when cash flow became tight. I focused on building relationships with my customers, offering credit to trusted neighbors, and gradually expanding my product range based on their requests.
By reinvesting every profit back into inventory and maintaining competitive prices, I slowly grew my customer base. Today, we occupy a 200-square-meter space, employ six staff members, and serve over 300 customers daily.
Annual revenue has grown from ₦2 million to ₦45 million. Patience, community trust, and strategic reinvestment were key to our transformation."
