In furtherance of its objective to see to Nigeria’s socio-economic development through job availability for the growing population, Henkel Nigeria has restated its commitment to contribute to job creation in the country through the support to local entrepreneurs across the country. It seeks to achieve this through the expansion of its Street-Smart Entrepreneur (SSE) corporate social initiative.

The SSE initiative, where Nigerians can leverage Henkel’s products to earn a living, is an avenue to grow by converting the unemployed into entrepreneurs while developing the economy and communities at the same time. It is a self-sustainable initiative where the beneficiaries are consistently engaged.

The talents are trained and equipped with the knowledge to be entrepreneurs and provided with tools for the business, across their different locations.
Managing Director, Rajat Kapur said the initiative came about as a means to contribute to human capital development through entrepreneurial skills training, and also job creation by empowering youths with the tools for the business.
Kapur said the initiative, which started in 2019 but slowed down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has 160 SSEs already recruited, who have reached 216,000 consumers across Nigeria. He said the detergent manufacturer in the country intends to recruit 260 SSEs by year-end 2021, and by 2026, the target is 5,000 SSEs recruited.

He said the individuals are selected and trained in entrepreneurship skills to become SSEs, and the training includes classroom and field lessons in branding, bookkeeping, trading, and other skills necessary to make them self-reliant and successful in life.

‘’With 77 percent of the SSEs already earning over the minimum wage, the new SSEs will be equipped with the tools for the trade – pushcart, cycle cart, motorized cart- to aid their spread all over the country, including the rural areas’’, he asserted.
The SSEs spread Henkel products - WAW and Nittol, to consumers and stores that are not covered by Henkel’s conventional sales team and make money for themselves and their families in the process.

Rufa’I Adam, an SSE in Nassarawa state explained his experience as an SSE, “I did not have anything to wake up to, I would just walk around with my friends trying to do anything possible to eat. Now I am able to fully support myself and my unemployed mother. I am so happy to now have a purpose, thanks to Henkel, I am part of a business family.

‘’People in my locality call me RUFA’I THE WAW MAN. I am very motivated to keep on doing well for my family, as well as bring in as many people as possible onto the programme so they can also do better for themselves and their families”.

Henkel seeks to be at the forefront of supporting the various communities while also being a strong contributor to the Nigerian economy by empowering talents, with the ultimate ambition being to produce for Nigerians by Nigerians.