Can mini importation work in Kebbi? Here is how

Mini importation in Kebbi

Kebbi lives on fishing and farming. Sorghum, groundnuts, millet, onions and rice are the main crops, and many rice growers take part in the Anchor Borrowers' Programme. Trading is centred on Birnin Kebbi, and herding camels, cattle, goats and sheep is another mainstay. Incomes are low, so buyers look for cheap, genuinely useful goods. A product that saves a rice farmer, onion trader or herder money or time sells far more easily in Kebbi than one bought for show.

Most importers here begin in Birnin Kebbi, selling to market traders and to the students and staff of Federal University, Birnin Kebbi. WhatsApp groups then carry products out to Argungu, a fishing and rice town with a busy central market, and to Aliero, which has Kebbi State University of Science and Technology and what is described as the largest onion market in northwest Nigeria. Further south, the Federal University of Agriculture in Zuru brings one more student group. Lead in Hausa, and use Dendi, Zarma or Lela where your buyers do.

Farm cash in Kebbi follows the rice and onion harvests, so build your stock around them. Argungu's WACOT rice mill, one of the area's larger processors, shows how much of the local economy turns on rice. Kebbi's western edge forms part of Nigeria's border with Benin Republic and Niger Republic, so buyers may already have other sources for common goods. Pick items that are hard to find in Birnin Kebbi's shops, and lean on pre-orders to prove demand before you commit.

Where to sell in Kebbi

Products worth testing in Kebbi

• Digital hanging scales: Onion traders at Aliero and rice and grain farmers across the state handle produce in volume. Low-cost scales are worth testing with traders as resellers.
• Fishing hooks, lines and waterproof headlamps: Fishing is a pillar of Kebbi's economy and Argungu is a fishing town. Small, light items like these are worth testing in a small batch.
• Soil testers and simple field kits: Students at the Federal University of Agriculture, Zuru and the state's many rice farmers may find cheap soil pH and moisture testers useful. Worth testing in small numbers.
• Laptop and phone accessories: Universities in Birnin Kebbi, Aliero and Zuru mean steady student demand for low-priced chargers, stands and earphones. Worth testing first on campus WhatsApp groups.

Before you order stock, run the numbers in the free product checker and test demand with pre-orders.

Getting imported goods to Kebbi

Kebbi has no seaport, and no cargo operations are documented at Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport near Ambursa, about 16 km east of Birnin Kebbi, so importers clear cargo in another state and haul it in overland. The GIG Logistics centre on Ahmadu Bello Way, Birnin Kebbi, opens Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm.

The A1 federal highway is the main artery, running north out of Niger State through Yelwa, Koko and Jega toward Sokoto. A road from Bunza via Kamba connects to Niger Republic's RN8. The Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway corridor also crosses Kebbi, with its first section ending at Silame on the Sokoto/Kebbi border. Settle rates and transit times with your courier before quoting a buyer.

Frequently asked questions