Samsung braces for new phase of growth in Nigeria

Samsung Electronics West Africa (SEWA) has said it is streamlining its operations across the continent to achieve greater operational efficiencies.

At a brief ceremony in Lagos late last week, the electronics giant added that it was refocusing its vision and strategy for Nigeria, the West African sub-region and the continent in general. The exercise, the company said, is geared towards stimulating a higher level of operational efficiency, with the overarching objective of providing customers with the highest quality products, sales and services. Through this process, the company said, it will shore up its market leadership position across the continent.

“As a dynamic and innovative organisation, SEWA is constantly exploring ground-breaking ways of providing its customers with best-in-class products, sales, support and marketing functions,” said President and Chief Executive Officer, Samsung Electronics, Africa, Mr Sung Yoon.

“We wish to reiterate our commitment to this market and our focus on delivering the highest quality products, service and support, for which our customers have come to admire us. We can assure all our stakeholders that, as an organisation, we have gained useful insights from events of our recent past, both positive and negative, and are confident that the lessons learned will help propel us into our next phase of growth,” he commented.

Yoon said since Samsung began operations in Nigeria in 2005, it has created a niche for itself by offering high quality products. This, he said, has impacted positively on the Nigerian economy in various ways, such as fostering knowledge/technology transfer and creating employment directly and indirectly for millions of Nigerians.

The company, according to Yoon, has also been heavily invested in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in areas such as education, environmental sustainability and economic empowerment, through the numerous CSR projects it has undertaken.

“In Nigeria, Samsung has invested significantly in its partnership with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board, through which it is helping to equip the country’s youth with the technical skills they need to transform their lives and contribute to the development of the country.

“The Samsung Engineering Academy enrolls over 1000 students yearly across various countries in Africa with the aim of closing the gap between skills and demand in the job market. Graduates have a 40% job placement track record, while others go on to pursue further higher education, training or start their own businesses.

“Samsung’s aim is to build successful partnerships in Nigeria to equip the country’s youth with the technical skills they need to transform their lives and contribute to the development of the country,” Yoon added.