Working Lives: Ndi Anambra – The Car Parts Dealers of Lagos

Working Lives- Ndi Anambra- The Car Parts Dealers  of Lagos

 We set out to talk to the Igbo spare parts dealers but discovered almost every one of them in the car parts clusters at Ladipo, Ijaye and Alagbado are from Anambra State. Another small discovery is that everyone has learnt the trader under an older brother or relative. The average period of apprenticeship is 7 years after which the boss completely bears the cost of setting up the apprentice in business, paying for his shop as well as the stock. Delve in and discover more about the origins and Working Lives of spare parts dealers.

Working Lives: Ndi Anambra- The Car Parts Dealers  of Lagos

I am actually thinking of selling cars. I might just have to get a boy that will look after my current shop. Because once I start the car dealing business, I might not have time fully for the spare parts business like I do now. I am just waiting for someone I can trust to come down to Lagos to oversee things. My other apprentices have all left to start their own business.

 

 

Where are you from?

I am from Amambra State.I attended Ezechima Primary School in Onitsha but I had to stop there as my parents had no money to send me to secondary school.

Tell me about your family?

My parents are farmers. They had six of us. Things were tough. I had to come to Lagos to hustle like every other person.

When did you get to Lagos?

I came to Lagos in 1990. I was living with my older brother. I lived with him and served under him for almost six years. We were living in Owode, Ogun State back then.

Where do you live and how much is the rent?

I live in a two-bedroom flat in Ogba and I pay N460,000 for the annual rent. I have a house, but it is not in Lagos. I built my house in the village. I only have a land in Lagos but I have not started building on it yet.

How did you start selling spare parts?

When I got to Lagos, that was the only thing I could venture into as that was what my older brother was into. So I started learning the trade under him. I worked for him for six years after which he established me in the business.

How much did it cost to establish the business?

My brother gave me about N150,000 back then to start. I did not have to add even a kobo to the money. I paid N60,000 annual rent for a shop at Ijaye Ojokoro and then I used the remaining N80,000 to stock the shop. This was 18 years ago.

Do you import the spare parts from abroad?

I import some and I also buy some in Nigeria. I mostly buy from Trade Fair in Lagos. When I have a lot of money, I order a full container of spare parts from China. That costs at least N5 million. The last time I imported a full container of battery, it cost me about N18 million. The investment varies based on what you are bringing in.

Also Read: Working Lives: The Engineer’s Son Who Became Car Parts Apprentice After Father Died

What type of spare parts to you sell?

I sell batteries, windscreen, fuel pump, gear, side mirror, bonnet and so on.

What were you doing before you started selling spare parts?

I was not into anything before I started selling spare parts. This is the only trade I have been doing since I was a kid.

What does an apprentice do?

If I had an apprentice under me, I would not have to worry about waking up early to come to the shop. He will be the one doing all that and attending to customers too. They also sometimes help in delivering the spare parts to those that cannot come to the shop. There are some cars that have to be fixed at the spot where they got damaged; apprentices take the parts to the customer.

Why do  you  not have an apprentice?

I used to have two boys under me. But I have established for both of them already, they are no more under me. They were with me for almost 8 years. I established for them late last year. I was hoping to get another person early this year until coronavirus scattered my plans. The person was going to come from the village in Anambra. But I am making arrangements as we speak. I will get someone soon. Three boys in fact. I have not been able to cope very well but I am trying my best. My eldest son sometimes comes to assist me when he is less busy, now that he is working from home.

Why are there no female apprentices?

I have seen a few female apprentices actually but I do not think females are ready to get themselves involved in this kind of trade. Because of the stress that comes with it, it is really rare to see a lady learning this trade.

Does setting up an apprentice reduce your capital?

No. It does not. To me it is just like you are paying them monthly salaries.  The only difference is you are saving the money with you and giving them in bulk when they finish their training.

How do you prepare for this investment?

The moment an apprentice starts working under me, I start putting a particular amount of money aside so I would be able to conveniently pay when the time comes for me to establish for them. This is why I only have a maximum of 5 people under me so there will not be any issue of stress in establishing for them when the time comes. 

Who is the most successful parts dealer you know?

That has to be one of my Igbo brothers. We came to Lagos around the same time in 1990. We were both learning in the same market then. But he is now very big in the business. He has several shops and warehouses where he sells spare parts in every major market in Lagos. The worth of all the spare parts in his shops should be worth close to N600 million at least. He lives in Lekki now. He moved there in 2016. He is a big man now. He has flashy cars. Most of his kids are abroad. And the funniest thing is if you see him, you would think he is one poor man. He does not show off. 

Read More: Working Lives: The Engineer’s Son Who Became Car Parts Apprentice After Father Died

What makes one very successful in this business?

I will say consistency and not spending your capital lavishly. I know of people that we all started together and they have nothing to show for it as we speak. One should just be disciplined in terms of how you spend your money. That is just it.

Also Read: Working Lives: The Market Porter Who Works for His Rent, Weed and a Babe

How many hours do you work in a day?

I open the shop anytime I like. It is my shop and I own the business. It is not like I am working under someone that requires me to be here by an exact time. So on days when I am too tired or I need to rest, I just open around 10 a.m. and close by 5 p.m. or so.

What is your best day like on the job?

All the days for me, my brother. I am a happy man. I am always happy.

How much do you make in a day?

I really cannot predict. But on an average, I make N100,000 or a little more daily.

How much do you spend in a day?

I do not have anyone under me for now, so I do not really spend so much like I used to. I spend N3,000 daily on food and transport fare.

What other things do you spend money on?

Apart from the N3,000 on food and transport, I also buy recharge cards a lot because most of my transactions are on the phone. I always have to communicate with my customers and let them know I have certain spare parts available. Let us just say I spend about N2,000 on recharge cards daily.

For how long have you been selling spare parts?

I have been in this business for about 30 years now. I got to Lagos in 1990 and I started learning the trade immediately.

Do you have savings and how much do you save in a month? 

I save about N50,000 weekly. It depends on how much I have spent that week. Sometimes I even save more.

Are you married?

Yes, I am happily married with 5 kids

Do you have plans to venture into something else and leave this business?

Yes, I am actually thinking of selling cars. I might just have to get a boy that will look after my current shop. Because once I start the car dealing business, I might not have time fully for the spare parts business like I do now. I am just waiting for someone I can trust to come down to Lagos to oversee things. My other apprentices have all left to start their own business.