The coming of Enyimba Automated Shoe Company (ENASCO), Aba was borne out of the vision to harness the Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises, (MSMEs) potentialities of the thriving commercial city.
ENASCO which commenced full operation in 2022, was conceptualised and executed by the immediate past Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. The Company is sited at No. 2, ENASCO Road, off Obikabia Junction, Umuokahia in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.
The MSME landscape in Aba is home to a diverse range of enterprises, comprising small-scale artisans and craftsmen, to medium-sized manufacturers. Their businesses encompass a wide array of activities, including textiles, leather goods, metalwork, and automobile parts production.
Aba’s concentration of textiles and leather goods has led to the development of vibrant textiles/leather industrial clusters, and the coming of ENASCO was not simply to share in the economies of scale and shared infrastructure, but to be a game changer in shoe manufacturing in the Enyimba City.
Though a government initiative, ENASCO was established with significant private partners’ participation and members of its management board are replete with accomplished businessmen as well as respected investors.
Its stocks holding structure was shared between the Abia government which owns 27% of the stocks and other investors, five in number, sharing 73% among them.
The vision of the company is to sustain the recognition of Aba as the MSME capital of Nigeria by upgrading to international standards, the quality of Aba-made shoes.
Building on the vision of the founding fathers
The new administration led by Governor Alex Otti has conducted refresher training of over 50 shoemakers under the auspices of the Abia State Ministry of Trade, Commerce and industry.
Beyond Aba’s comparative advantage in the textile – leathers works, the bustling commercial city also have an edge with its enterprising spirit and diligence human resources
The emergence of ENASCO was a promise to compliment the human resource base of Aba, with competent leadership team of skilled and proven executors to transform the businesses of the city, to achieve commercial scale and world class appeal. That way, the Made in Aba products will become something to be proud of and Aba made products in shoe/ leather, garments and other sub-sectors could be displayed in global retail chains and markets.
Growth, development
To fulfill that need, ENASCO was equipped with brand new automated machines, and now it boasts of production capacity of between 4,000 and 5,000 pairs of shoes per day. The company can also boast of 10, 000 capacity a day, depending on demand as it has the needed machinery and manpower to deliver. ENASCO is targeting an annual production capacity of two million pairs of shoes.
Products at a glance
ENASCO’s take – off products include: work boots, school shoes, military desert boots, police shoes, dress shoes for men among others. Currently, the company has distributors in Lagos, Abuja and towns in Abia state, in addition to online sale platforms.
“We have no business importing military boots when what is produced here locally is of better quality to that which is brought into the country”, former governor, Dr Ikpeazu had preached while commissioning the company.
The board was charged to run the factory like a proper business and consolidate the position of Aba and Abia State as a global hub for shoe and other leather products, and to bring its wealth of experience in developing a brand that will compete favourably in the competitive global market.
The general manager of ENASCO, Mr. Hogan Nkute said the company is priming itself to enter the international market and is scaling its operations funded by the private sector investors.
” Despite the challenging economic condition in the country, the company is thriving and positioned to be one of the strongest even biggest indigenous shoe companies in the whole of Africa.
“The Company is operational, functioning and has the capacity to record enviable successes ,” said Mr. Hogan
He also submitted thus: “The shareholders of ENASCO are responsible Nigerians, committed to its corporate vision which is to be a leading shoe manufacturing Company in West Africa and indeed Africa, leveraging the expertise of Aba shoe making prowess. And the job of the management is to make profit for shareholders and support Abia State Government to reduce unemployment and create a pool of skilled labour”.
Welcome to ENASCO, one of best shoe manufacturing companies in Nigeria.
…Prince Clinton Uba is the publisher/CEO; News Mirror – www.newsmirrorng.com