Print Personality page celebrates achievers in Nigeria printing space who have stood the test of time to remain in business. This edition brings the success story of a giant in the industry who has supported the growth and development of the industry in his capacity and has worked as the Chairman of the advisory board of the Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria before his resignation in July 2021.
The Chairman /CEO of Yaliam Press Limited – a one-stop printing press with state of art printing equipment, Alhaji Yahaya Amfani is a personality to reckon with in the industry.
Here is an excerpt from our one-on-one interview session with him on his journey to becoming one of the major stakeholders in the Nigerian printing sector.
Q: As a businessman who has stood the test of time, could you share with us, your journey into the printing sector, dating back to the inception of your business?
A: I started printing over 30 years ago as a student. During my undergraduate days, I collect printing jobs from my colleagues, take them to town, get them printed and bring it back with my commission on them. when they pay me, I go back to the town and pay my printers, that was how I started. By the time I graduated, I already have Seven staff working for me. When we started fully in 1989, we had few staff but currently, we have over 200 staff under our employment.
Q: Quite inspiring! Could you share with us, what the process was like starting with absolutely no resources?
A: For over ten years, I was running around carrying plates, running impressions from one shop to another. from there, I bought the small A4 printing machine, followed by the Kord, from there, we bought three colors XMP and then 4, 5, 9 colors printing machines, that was how we gradually got to where we are today.
Q: An inspiring journey to greatness. You didn’t just get to where you are today, you worked for it
A: You don’t have to wait to get all you need to start. You have to start to generate income to fully establish yourself. You can make small money and raise capital using the people who are ready and that was what I did for almost ten years. I took my jobs to them, supervise the printing and deliver to my clients on completion.
Q: For those 10 years, what was your driving force?
A: Zealous! I have made up my mind to fight poverty and that was what kept me going all those years of little beginning. Don’t forget I read graphic design at one of the subsidiaries of Ahmadu Bello University, so that generated my enthusiasm. Honestly, dedication to duty and timely delivery were my key factors in building a strong business. Integrity is number one for me. I operate an open policy. There are lots of smaller printers who have assurance and they are doing well today and we are still doing that.
Q: On the Institute’s Advocacy Campaign?
I am a strong advocate of let Nigeria print jobs remain in Nigeria. I don’t take my jobs outside the country. I am with the Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria on this campaign. So, we are calling on the government to hear us because, without the government’s support, we cannot make any progress but when we have government support, we can achieve it.
There is so much for CIPPON to do. I am pleading with all my colleagues to give them the necessary support in getting the government involved through favourable policy formulation and execution especially the big-time printers, I don’t know why a lot of them are not interested in the advocacy campaign. It is not enough to pay for certification and that’s the end of it, NO! You can’t keep asking what has CIPPON done for you? We all know that whatever CIPPON is doing is for the interest of all. We need everyone’s support to grow this industry. We need financial support, we need your connection and a lot of our colleagues are connected to the government. We want government attention that is why I am calling on my colleagues that have those connections to use them for the growth and development of our dear industry. Most of us who are big-time printers are not much interested in the activities of CIPPON, we are few who are actively involved in CIPPON’s activities.
Personally, I support CIPPON and every of the institute’s programs and I am calling on my colleagues to do the same. Unity is what I have been preaching.
We need the cooperation of every stakeholder to move this industry to a greater height.
Q: Absolutely Sir, practitioners should seek to add value to the growth and development of the institute.
A: That’s why CIPPON should ensure all practitioners are registered with the institute. Currently, there is a price war among printers and we are working towards conquering this menace called price war. We have to stand on our ground to ensure a profitable industry for all.
For instance, if you can get the publishers in Nigeria to trust us, instead of taking those jobs outside, we can build more capacity if they say we don’t have the capacity. Also, with government support, we will source the materials where we can print at an affordable and competitive cost. Let them give us the opportunity, let them start reducing the volume of what they take outside the country. Some of us have invested billions of Naira on equipment and jobs are not coming and you have to pay salaries.
Q: Yes, the government has a great role to play if the printing industry must compete favourable with its overseas counterparts
A: We are sure CIPPON is making an effort to ensure that only printers execute print jobs in Nigeria because I can say that 60% of the jobs are printed by non-printer. That is our challenge.
Q: You talked about some of the Abuja printers trying to regulate price under different clusters, how do you see this working in the nearest future for the growth of the industry?
A: Categorization is the number one thing and cluster information is equally good but it has to be managed with care otherwise we will have problems in the future.
Q: Sir, you have been a great source of inspiration to many and have contributed to the growth of this industry, are you satisfied with the state of the industry?
A: There is progress but not as much as I want to see it. We want government support. I told Mr. Olugbemi Malomo – the President of Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON), to carry everyone along in all his activities. As a leader, people will criticize you and will not appreciate your effort. You brought yourself to serve, nobody should intimidate you. Do what you have to do and leave a legacy, that is what leadership is all about.
Q: Why did you leave lecturing to venture into printing fully?
A: I had a burning desire for business and I am happy to have created employment opportunities for others.
Q: Words of encouragement from you to printers out there who see you as a great source of inspiration, especially at this challenging time.
A: Don’t give up! those of you that start with impression, be patient, be consistent, I never I gave up. whenever you are angry just stand there and say am going to succeed because we are working so hard to see that all of us get the government’s support.
Q: How do you relax?
A: Relaxation? Smiles…. even when sleeping, you will hear me call impression, Kord, etc ……. Smiles. I am old but am still working, that is the life of a printer. We hardly rest for the development of this nation and also to feed our families.
