Some made in Nigeria sportswear companies are already pulling their weight, determined to take over the market from the foreign brands dominance.
For long the sportswear market in Nigeria and Africa are dominated by top foreign brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma Umbro, Hummel, Under Armour... In spite the harsh competition and manufacturing challenges most of these indigenous companies faced here in Nigeria, they are really upping their games now.
Read the amazing brand stories of some of the best made in Nigeria sportswear companies it will really inspire you to take the needed bold step towards realizing your own dreams
1. Owu Sportswear is perhaps the best Made-In-Nigeria sportswear brand. Established and managed by Tunji Brown.
Tunji Brown is a lawyer and football lover, a staunch supporter of 3SC from childhood when it was called IICC Shooting Star. T Brown is one of the trail blazers in the indigenous sportswear manufacturing business in Nigeria.
“In 2005, I wanted to know why we had so many brands that were doing shirt branding for a lot of these European clubs that are also in Nigeria but not branding Nigerian team shirt. So, I did a letter to Nike, adidas, Umbro and Hummel. And the only response I got is from Hummel, then. They said they have given their franchise to Emmanuel Ibru and I should get in touch with him. So, I did just that but nothing came from it. T. Brown explained
“As time went on, I decided to look at the option that were available to me and that is how I decided to set up a sports consulting firm. Eventually, after I had an accident on December 4, 2007, God gave me a revelation that why don’t I start my own brand. That is how Owu Sportswear came about.
"My vision is to Kit Super Eagles and gain a majority share in the African sportswear market. We have succeeded in knitting several Nigerian league teams: 3SC, MFM, Rivers United, Sunshine Stars, and other NNL teams. We provided kits for NPFL All Star team that went on tour to Spain in 2018."
"I think we've created for ourselves a market niche and a well appreciate brand, high quality enough to compete favorably with any international brand. T. Brown concluded.
13, Seidu Ajibowo Street, Omole Phase 1, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
2. AFA Sportswear is one of the foremost made-in-Nigeria sportswear that was established in 2007. AFA means ‘Africa For Africa’. A company started by Ugo Udezue.
Ugo Udezue is a former NBA Agent working with BDA Sports in the United States.
"I decided to come over to Nigeria, and My original idea was to create a Basketball league that would cater for professional basketball players in Africa which lead to the establishment of the Continental Basketball League, CBL".
"But AFA Sports was borne out of the desire to meet the kit demand of the Continental Basketball League, which all the major sportswear brands are not willing to sponsor. So I decided to start up a sportswear company majorly for basketball apparels and footwears. Udezue said
"My primary goal is to kit all the national basketball teams for all the countries in Africa. And we have started to achieve that. First, the Nigerian National Basketball team D’Tigers had a major kitting challenge going into the Afro Basket 2017 competition and AFA became their jersey sponsor.
Maybe, in the future we may expand into the soccer market, but for now we specialize in basketball apparels and footwear." Udezue concluded.
3. Yali Yali Sportswear is committed to manufacturing of Eco Respectful/Friendly Sports apparel and Sports Casuals under the brand name Yali Yali. Founded and managed by Niyi Omodara in 2010.
Niyi Omodara is a young Entrepreneur from Ekiti state, South- West Nigeria. After attending the Youth Africa Leadership Initiative (Yali) network the vision to own an eco friendly sportswear with raw materials from recycled Drinking Water Bottles, Recycled Plastics and Recycled Fabrics remnants
Today, Yali-Yali manufacturers what maybe rated the best quality all round sportswears in Nigeria: Tights, Athletic Performance and Muscular Recovery wears, Yoga, Basketball, Football, Softball, Tennis, Swimming and Gym wear products. Athletic stars such as Mary Onyali, Chioma Ajunwa, Olusoji Fasuba... has endorsed the Yali Yali brand.
Yali Yali Sportswear range of products are personally rated "E" for EveryBody! Meaning that Yali Yali brand of products promotes sustainable Healthy Values, Eco Respectful, with guaranteed lifespan of active usage including built in Yali Yali products share value.
Telephone+234-809-690-5440Address Suite B39 Area 11 Shopping Mall, Garki Area 11, Abuja
4. Haggai Sportswear was established in 2016 by owner and CEO, Paul Maduakor, to provide athletes with the most innovative performance apparel and accessories for a variety of sports especially at the grassroots: football academies, amateur clubs Inter-house sports and other sporting activities.
Paul Maduakor, better known as Zenth Sports is perhaps the leader in sportswear sales and distribution in Nigeria, decided to go into manufacturing with the Haggai brand.
Maduakor said “As leaders in the Nigerian sportswear sector, we understand the needs for sports development and creating employment through what we are doing, reason we will continue to partner with all grassroots sports organisers”
“Moreover, it gives us an opportunity to boost the Nigerian economy in line with the Federal Government’s vision for Made-in-Nigeria products. This initiative will create more jobs for Nigerians,” he said.
Haggai is the Sportswear partner of Surulere regional league, providing kits for all the 34 teams participating in the league. The brand is well known by hundreds of schools, academies in Lagos State and places like Markudi Benue state.
Haggai sports wear in less than 5 years, has become not only a house hold name in Nigeria but the brand is synonymous with quality and creativity. “We can confidently boast of kitting over 30 football clubs and still counting in almost every level of league in Nigeria”
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