In this exclusive interview with BusinessDay’s Wasiu Alli, Demi Samande, founder and chief executive officer of Lagos-based furniture manufacturer Majeurs Holdings, explains the ways Nigerian furniture makers can beat imports, scale up production, and adopt technology to dominate the domestic market.
Rising energy costs, logistics expenses, and FX volatility are hitting manufacturers hard. How are these pressures reshaping your input sourcing and pricing strategy?
A lot of the micro and macro pressures have forced us to become far more intentional about localisation and our vertical integration systems. Energy costs in Nigeria have risen by over 55% year-on-year, and logistics now accounts for nearly 30–40% of total manufacturing overheads for companies like ours. Instead of passing all of that cost to the customer, we have been focused heavily on redesigning our supply chain from the ground up.
We have already increased our use of locally sourced timber in large segments of our designs and finishes where quality allows, and we’re building partnerships with domestic material suppliers to reduce exposure to currency swings or dependency. At the same time, we’ve adopted a value-engineering approach, designing products that maintain our aesthetic and durability standards while optimising materials and production processes. It’s not just a pricing strategy; it’s survival through innovation.
With imported furniture competing aggressively on price, what structural advantages or disadvantages do local manufacturers have today, and what must change for Nigerian-made furniture to dominate the domestic market?
Imported furniture benefits from economies of scale and subsidised power, two major cost drivers we don’t have here locally. With brands like ORCA coming into the market and making competing on price difficult, if not impossible, Nigerian manufacturers have one huge structural advantage: proximity to the customer. We can customise and design for Nigerian lifestyles far better than mass-produced imports.
The disadvantage is primarily systemic, with high energy costs, inconsistent quality of raw materials, and limited access to modern machinery. For Nigerian-made furniture to dominate, three things must happen: standardisation in the industry so quality becomes predictable; investment in local raw material processing, especially timber and board factories; better financing models to help manufacturers scale without crushing debt hanging over them.
If these foundations strengthen, local furniture can not only compete but it can outperform imports. Then there is the global luxury space and design niche spaces looking for fresh eyes. Looking closely at our strength and unique taste that the global market may not be able to easily find or replicate elsewhere is something we must not underestimate for scalability. Sometimes you are taken for granted at home, but outside, you may just find your crowd. We must not be afraid to think beyond the local; the world is shrinking.
Many furniture makers rely on imported fittings, machinery, and chemicals. Is easing FX volatility changing your business dynamics?
It is helping, but only slightly; many times, local suppliers are not moved by the numbers, and their reality is very different. Even with a more stable FX environment in recent months, the reality is that Nigeria still imports over 80% of all fittings and manufacturing consumables used in our sector. So yes, reduced volatility provides breathing space, but it doesn’t eliminate the structural dependence, and inflation will never alleviate that.
For us at Majeurs, the shift has to be towards long-term procurement planning, locking in supply partnerships, bulk ordering critical components, and exploring regional suppliers in East and Southern Africa. The goal is not just to react to FX, but to build a supply chain resilient enough to withstand it.
Real estate and corporate office demand have shifted post-pandemic. What changes are you seeing in consumer preferences for home, office, and hospitality furniture—and which segments now drive growth?
The pandemic permanently changed how people interact with space. Three clear trends have stood out consistently in the last few years: Hybrid work has made modular home office furniture a fast-growing category. Nigerians want multifunctional pieces that work for tight spaces; hospitality and short-let apartments are investing heavily in durable, design-forward furniture because occupancy now depends heavily on aesthetics. In the past, where they have not been so design-led, that is changing; the shot let space left is now demanding more; corporate spaces are moving toward flexible layouts, cross-functional spaces that speak to the task execution rather than standard work spaces are merging fast, lightweight partitions, mobile workstations, and collaborative spaces instead of traditional heavy desks. The design of work has evolved, and it is not going anywhere.
Today, our biggest growth drivers are hospitality and residential, especially among young professionals who value design, sustainability, and affordability. They are taking more international approaches to their spaces and mainly became work has become more than ever a huge part of life design.
Furniture manufacturing remains labour-intensive. What role are automation and digital design playing in your operations, and how are you addressing Nigeria’s persistent technical skills gap?
Automation is no longer optional. For Majeurs, digital design, from CAD to CNC-driven production, is the backbone of consistency and scalability in our industry. Not only will it reduce waste by up to 18–25% in our sector and industry, but it will also improve production speed significantly.
But technology is only as strong as the people operating it; we have learnt that the hard way. That’s why we built our Training Academy, which has now equipped many young people with technical and digital manufacturing skills and secured them jobs at the end of that process. Closing the skills gap isn’t just charity; it’s a strategic investment into our long-term growth. A digitally competent workforce is the only way Nigerian manufacturing can compete both locally and globally.
High interest rates and tight credit conditions constrain growth. How easy is it to finance expansion today, and what kind of financial support would truly unlock scale?
At current commercial lending rates, often above 25–30%, financing expansion is almost impossible for most manufacturers. The cost of capital wipes out margins before growth even begins. What sustainably unlocks scale is very clear to many of us in Nigeria, but somehow, we fail to execute it.
Sector-specific concessional loans tied to job creation and local sourcing; long-term equipment financing similar to what Asian manufacturing hubs offer their participants, and tax incentives for companies investing in automation or backward integration will go a long way.
If Nigeria wants a thriving manufacturing sector, financing must reward productivity, not punish ambition. Identifying those who are willing is also very easy, yet they are overlooked consistently.
Majeurs just got some certifications. How will these developments change your product offerings, and why is it important to your operations?
Certification is about trust, standards, and global competitiveness. For us, pursuing international manufacturing and quality certifications means aligning Majeurs with ISO-level processes, from people orientation to material selection to environmental compliance. All 3 must work hand in hand.
This certification will strengthen the durability and safety of our products long term. It will allow us to compete more effectively across Africa and in diaspora markets. There is a high benchmark we are ensuring we uphold and improve internal efficiency by enforcing standard operating procedures.
For customers, it is a guarantee. For us, it is a commitment to excellence, to consistency, and to raising the bar for African manufacturing and the people at the helm of it.
Looking ahead, what policy reforms—from import controls to power supply or forestry regulation—would have the biggest impact on Nigeria’s furniture manufacturing industry over the next five years?
Three reforms would be transformational beyond all doubt: Reliable energy and structured power tariffs. Manufacturers currently spend up to 40% of costs on self-generated power. Stabilising power alone could cut production costs drastically.
Reforestation and timber regulation reform. Nigeria loses over 350,000 hectares of forest annually. Sustainable forestry is essential for long-term raw material security. Clear import standards and quality controls. This prevents the dumping of substandard furniture and protects local manufacturers competing on quality rather than price alone.
The combination of sustainable raw materials, consistent power, and fair competition would change the industry permanently.
Apart from your present location, what are your plans for expansion?