For many Nigerians, “Made-In-Nigeria” almost always means “Not as good as it should be”. So they’ll rather buy foreign brands. This sentiment was particularly attached to products made in Aba, the leading commercial and production centre in Nigeria. This was inspite of the fact that the goods from there, were being exported far and wide outside Nigeria.

The lack of a strong and positive Area Brand had clearly affected the perception of Aba, a clear case of “the prophet not being appreciated in his own home”.

TBWA\Concept and Ford Foundation decided to take up this challenge.

The idea was to create a sense of pride in locally made products drawing inspiration from the love Nigerians have for Nollywood and local Nigerian music. We aimed to create an Area Brand that both producers and Nigerian consumers would be proud of.

This led to the launch of the “Proudly Made In Aba” Initiative.

First, we projected the Aba story to the world  by producing 3 short documentaries focusing on 3 of the largest production clusters in Aba - Leatherworks, Fashion & Fabrication.

Next. Every day for 3 months, we showcased the hard work, energy and passion that went into producing each item on social media.

By allowing the people that actually do the work share their stories and experiences, we were able to let Nigerians see the excellence and quality of their craft.

 
This amplified a nationwide conversation that had started on Made in Nigeria products. But this time it wasn't just talk. Nigerians noticed.
 
In just 3 months of the campaign, word about Aba quickly spread. Over 50,000 people signed up to show their support for the cause and ask where they could buy Aba made products.

Aba traders were smiling to the bank, especially in the leather sector where the military and several industries made orders for boots and other protective footwear.

This is just the beginning.

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